Family Secrets
by Ellie0528
Summary: Disclaimer: Don't own the Avengers or their Characters. Thomas never liked superheroes, nor did he like the Avengers. Everything changes when he comes home from school and his parents decide it is time for him to know the family secret. Now Thomas has to readjust to the new world that has opened up to him. Unfortunately, things never go according to plan. Read, Rate and Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

Thomas knew he should consider himself lucky, considering his adoptive parents were kind to him. His dad never got angry with him, no matter how hard he tried and His mother was quite similar, not yelling, though he knew he could anger her.

At school he never got along with anyone so he kept to himself. Thankful the bigger boys didn't pick on him like they did the other smaller kids. It wasn't until about grade 8 that he finally shot up in height and continued until after high school. Thomas enjoyed everything in the science world though he would never admit to it. His father and one of his uncles were geniuses in the science field, but he wouldn't tell them in fear he wouldn't be able to understand their level of knowledge.

He spent most of his time in the library reading about biology mostly, though he wasn't afraid to pull out some books on physics or chemistry either. He was always a head of his classmates in those subjects and could even find things that would stump his teacher, but he didn't do that much anymore as he found out they would phone his parents about it.

His dad did find out about his extensive knowledge for science-probably due to his report cards- and spoke with the school to find something more challenging. He didn't mind. If anything it pushed him to study harder. Maybe he could get to the level of genius. His Uncle Tony would even help him with micro-robotics glad to have someone he could converse with.

He hated the conversations the other kids in his grade had. They always talked about a group of superheroes called the Avengers.

He knew about them of course, who didn't? He just hated that all the guys talked about how cool Captain America was and how the girls swoon over Hawkeye and Iron Man and Captain America. He knew it was some scam. And boy did he hate the Hulk. There was no way such a thing could exist without the whole world knowing. Of course he always argued that it was impossible for a human being to just gain height and mass in a matter of seconds. And then of course there was Thor, the demi God. Why would he care about earth and join a superhero group? None of it made sense to him so he ignored it once again as he walked through the halls of his school for the final time glad to have finally finished grade 12 so he no longer had to deal with superheroes.

He had been living in the Marks household since he was 6 and now that he was finally 18 he was legally responsible for himself so he could move out and finally be without house hold rules. Throwing his bag by the door he headed straight for his room and plopped on to his bed.

Thomas' real parents died in what the world called an alien attack on the island of Manhattan and the only reason he was still there was because the Avengers had saved the day.

The house rules his "parents" had set up were stupid, but he knew better than to cross them. No friends over, not like he had many friends anyway. Not to anger Bruce. That one he still didn't understand. Anytime his adoptive father got anywhere close to being angry he stepped out and didn't come back until he was calm. Mom always gave him crap whenever he was the cause of it but he would never admit he was trying to on purpose.

There were some mornings however that we would wake up to find a note on the table mentioning that mom and dad had been called into work for a few days. It only happened twice through the 12 years he had been living with them but it still made him think.

Bruce was a scientist or doctor and Natasha was a marital artist instructor so the thought that they had work together always left him confused, but whenever he asked Natasha would shrug it off dancing around the real answer.

Thomas loved his uncles though. They were cool, always telling him stories about assassins and discovering new elements. He couldn't put them in any order from top favourite to least, to him they were all tie at the top. Uncle Clint would always have a nerf war with him and Uncle Steve. Uncle Tony would always take him down to his lab and together they would make little robots or fly little helicopters around the building. He could always go to them and rant about his parents.

"Thomas! Dinner is ready." Natasha called, pulling Thomas out of his inner thoughts.

Hoping off his bed he moved down the narrow hallway through the apartment to the kitchen and dining room. He found Bruce sitting with his nose buried in a book as he picked at the dinner in front of him.

"Any plans for the summer now that you're finished high school? Bruce asked putting the book down focusing on Thomas as Natasha joined the two at the table.

"No" Thomas couldn't tell them he planned on move out. He knew it would start a long conversation about where he could possible go and that college and university were important for a job. Either way the end would be the same, no doubt it would end with his father having to leave and him being yelled at for upsetting his dad. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.

"Well whatever you decide your father and I will support you"

"I want to move out" Thomas made sure it was barely audible however by the look Bruce was giving him he knew that he heard.

"Thomas…"

"I'm 18 I can do what I want"

"Yes, but what about school? A job?"

"Bruce…" Natasha warned

"You couldn't stop me anyway." That earned him a glare from his mother.

"Why don't you tell us about your last day of classes?" Natasha said trying to change the subject.

"Nothing new..." Thomas got the hint and followed his mother's lead. He didn't feel like getting yelled at. He'd done it several times that week already and it was only Thursday. "All the other kids talking about the stupid avengers team like always."

Bruce chocked a little before recovering with. "Avengers? The superhero group?"

Thomas noticed that his parents had stopped and was now watching him carefully. _What did they know?_

"Tell me about them." His mother being the first to recover.

"Well, there's Captain America the leader of the Avengers. All the girls go stupid over him…" He ranted to his parents about the Avengers and for once they listened without interruptions, sharing glances every now and again, their food forgotten.

"Being an assassin does not count as a super power so Black widow and Hawkeye shouldn't be there."

Natasha opened her mouth but Bruce interrupted. "What about the Hulk?"

Thomas noticed the edge of fear in his voice, however subtle it was.

"He's stupid and not to mention completely impossible. There is no way someone could not get more than double their height and body mass in a matter of seconds. That and no one could hold back the Hulk so there would have to have been sightings long before now. I mean I know you're a complete pussy and refuse to get mad but you're just stupid…"

"Thomas!" Natasha pushed herself standing. "That was completely uncalled for."

Bruce waved her down a small smirk played on his lips. "Trust me, Thomas I have a compelling reason to keep my cool."

Thomas only rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, Daddy issues?" he saw the flash of hurt flash behind his dad's eyes and knew he hit a soft spot.

"Room. NOW."

Not bothering to argue back Thomas pushed his chair back and started for his room but sopped just out of view.

"Bruce, I'm sure he didn't mean it." Natasha had positioned herself beside him and was rubbing his shoulders.

"I just don't understand why he hates me?"

"Maybe it's time we tell him everything. Us and Steve and Tony and Clint."

"Once he moves out what's stopping him from going to Ross? Or HYDRA? We know how he feels about us. Maybe it's not a good idea."

"We're his family." Natasha took the seat next to Bruce and just held his hand.

Bruce only shook his head. "The other guy…"

"…deserves to know why he's been pushed away for so long."

"Natasha, it's not that simple. The other guy…" Bruce ran his other hand through his hair. "…I don't know what he'll do. I can't risk that. All that angry has to come out some time. What if it's all directed at him?"

"Thomas is going to find out sooner or later, it's better if it comes from us. He's old enough to understand."

Bruce sighed in defeat, shoulders slumped forward. "What about S.H.E.I.L.D?"

"They don't need to know right away."

Along pause.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"That soon?"

Natasha shrugged. "Why not? Might as well let him know now."

Bruce buried his face in his hands. "Fine"

Natasha pushed to her feet and moved across the kitchen. "I'll ask Tony to have the jet ready and we can go back to that island we used to test Veronica…"

Thomas just sat and watched Bruce. What were they hiding from him and why did Bruce want to keep it hidden? Something about another guy? Tony meaning Uncle Tony? Pushing all the questions from his mind Thomas moved silently down the hall to his room and quietly shut the door and stood looking out the window at the darkening sky. Watching the cars go by on the streets he almost didn't hear the sound of someone knocking on his bedroom door. After calling for them to enter he turned to see his dad with plate of food.

"I uh noticed you didn't get an opportunity to eat much before being sent to your room so I thought you would appreciate something." He put the plate down on the bedside table before falling to a sit by the foot of the bed.

Thomas sat there quiet for a bit. "Whatever secret you and mom and Uncle Tony, Steve and Clint are keeping from me, you can keep it. I don't really care."

"We…" Bruce was stumped. What could he possibly say to make him understand that this whole secret was to keep them safe? He knew it had nothing to do about keeping Thomas safe. He was safer not knowing to be honest. If Ross took him, he would give nothing away because he truly didn't know anything. That and Bruce couldn't face the idea that Thomas would have a real reason to hate him. He just ranted reason to hate every single person on the Avengers team. What would stop him from blowing their identities once they let him out? That and the thought of the dejection could be a perfect reason alone to not show him the other guy.

"I'm sorry we had to restrict you through the important part of your life and we're sorry we could never be the family you deserve, but we truly do care for you."

Thomas sat speechless as he watched his dad leave. Although he couldn't disagree that there were a lot of things he couldn't do, he never felt restricted. And as much as he made it seem like he didn't love his family, he did. Yes there were times he and his parents disagreed but that was normal. Maybe Bruce thought it happened in this family more than others?

 _"_ _I just don't understand why he hates me?"_ Thomas didn't hate his adoptive father provided he did believe there was something odd about him, but hate was a strong word. He knew it was his dad that had persuaded his mom to adopt him. He remembered that story.

 _"_ _You parents died protecting you Thomas. They were the bravest parents ever." Natasha said as she tucked him into bed. "Bruce was determined that you stayed with us so you wouldn't lose anyone else close to you. He said it was the best way to honor your parents. I agreed so that's why you are here." She kissed the top of his head. "We promise to love you like they did." He only nodded as tears fell from his eyes._

 _He sat up and threw his arms around his new mother's neck. "I love you mommy. Don't go away."_

 _She smiled at him. "I won't leave until you tell me too, okay?"_

 _"_ _And daddy too?"_

 _"_ _And daddy too."_

 _Natasha tucked him in again before turning the lights out. "Good night, Thomas"_

A tear rolled down Thomas' face. Did his parents think he hated them? He didn't mean to portray that image.

He flopped onto his bed his dinner forgotten. He was up into the early hours of the morning trying to solve all the questions that had arisen in the past few hours which only lead to more unsolved questions and eventually he fell into an exhausted sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

"No matter what happens you have to stay in the Quinjet."

Thomas nodded at his mother.

"This is going to be a lot for you to take in but you have to promise that none of this goes to anyone. In the wrong hands you put me, your father and all you uncles in danger."

"Yes mother." He couldn't help but feel a little annoyed as she had repeated this several times during the trip.

"Good"

Thomas couldn't help but look at his dad, sitting in the back looking completely uncomfortable. He could tell by the way he kept fiddling with his glasses and hands that he was nervous. Was this secret really that terrifying for him? He almost felt bad.

Thomas was surprised his mother could fly a jet but she mentioned that Clint was the real piolet before she landed the craft on a sandy beach.

"Okay, first things first." Natasha opened the back of the jet. "Your father and I are…. Well maybe once you see him you'll catch on."

Bruce was visibly nervous. Natasha walked up and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Don't resist, just let him go. I'll look after him. I always do" She pulled his dress shirt off.

"EW, mom what are you doing?"

"Just pay attention. You wanted to know why your father didn't get mad. This is why."

Thomas watched his father's skin go green as his body shifted into a creature twice his size and all muscle all in the matter of seconds.

"That's not possible…"

"Your father and I are a part of the Avengers as is your Uncles."

"So you're the Black Widow." Thomas stated.

"You catch on fast kid. Now stay here while the other guy lets off some steam. I'll introduce you in a bit."

Before Thomas could protest his mother, in a black skin tight suit, was gone following the path of destruction.

Thomas now understood his past with the Marks household. His dad didn't get mad because it threated the life of everyone on the block. Thomas felt guilt seep into his head. All this time he was pushing his dads buttons because he thought his dad was being stupid, but in reality he was risking the lives of a whole bunch of people and his dad left to save their lives. Thomas' guilt grew.

Those few days he was left to fend for himself, it was due to the Avengers team being called in for something. His parents were superheroes. It all made sense now.

Thomas wasn't sure he was glad or upset. Surely he didn't possess any powers because he was adopted and it would have been a huge risk for his parents to take him in, so why did they?

"Alright Thomas, time for you to meet the other guy." Natasha stood in the door way.

He felt a weight drop in his stomach. There was no way he or she could get close enough to have a conversation with the Hulk. Didn't he just smash things? Did he even talk?

"Hulk will protect you like he does the rest of the team. You're one of us, if you want to be." Natasha said seemingly reading his mind. Slowly he followed her.

It wasn't really hard to find out where the Hulk had been, all Thomas had to do was follow the knocked down and uprooted trees.

"You want to tame the Hulk?"

"I didn't think that was possible."

His mother just laughed. "How do you think we got Bruce back when we needed to round up?"

Thomas remained quiet not really thinking about what happened after their battles. She leaned down and whispered in his ear what she did. "You just have to make sure you keep eye contact and don't let him know you're afraid. He really won't hurt you."

"He smells fear?"

Another laugh. "No Thomas. It just makes your dad feel bad. He's not too fond of the other guy but it's those small things he seems to remember. Any sign of fear and your dad will think he terrifies you and… just make his life a little easier and pretend it's nothing out of the ordinary." She stood on a sand dune watching as the Hulk threw a tree to the side.

Thomas fell back a little behind Natasha. _Pretend it's nothing out of the ordinary?_ How could Thomas casually walk up to the Hulk like he could be squashed in a heartbeat? He understood the idea of acting, but he never found himself as a great actor. Did everyone on the Avengers team just act like the Hulk was no different than they were?

"Hey big guy, I have someone I think you should meet."

With a grunt the Hulk turned his attention to Widow and then to Thomas.

"Bruce wanted to protect him and that's why you've been kept…" Natasha paused looking for the best way to phrase it. "…hidden."

The Hulk moved closer and Thomas held his breath trying to remember to not be afraid. _He won't hurt you. He won't hurt you._ He repeated the mantra over and over again. It didn't help his nerves that he noticed his mother move to be behind him.

"Uh…hey dad." Looking up he did notice the Hulk had the same eyes as his dad. The thought relaxed him a bit.

"I'm sorry I've been a pain in the ass the past few years. If I had known I wouldn't have pushed your buttons." Thomas rubbed the back of his neck.

He looked over to his mom and she gestured for him to try what she had instructed him to do. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath. He locked eyes with his dad and held his hand out palm facing away from him.

He watched as the Hulk followed suit seeming to be hesitant at first. Following the instructions he turned his hand up.

The next few seconds happened so quick he almost didn't register them. Bullets were fired from what he later found out was a helicopter and the Hulk had pushed Thomas behind him as Natasha screamed out his name and he landed harshly in the sand. The Hulk let out an angry roar and charged toward the incoming fleet.

Natasha slid beside him. "Back to the jet don't look back and don't come looking for us. Lock the doors and don't let anyone in." She pulled something out of her pocket and pushed it into his hand. "Call your uncles and let them know what happened they will track us through the jet. Now go." She pushed him to his feet and in the direction of the jet.

Thomas opened his mouth to argue when he was cut off by the sight of men running through the trees toward them bullets blazing. His mother took half of them out before having to reload. "GO!"

He turn and sprinted following his mother's direction looking back to find she was no longer there. The run to the jet was easy as he didn't run into anyone. Locking the doors behind him he finally let himself fall to a sit on the floor to catch his breath. Looking in his hand he found and ear piece. Putting it in, he held down one of the buttons.

"This is Thomas, anyone copy?"

"Alright Thomas I need you to sit in the piolets seat and look for a button that says rad."

Thomas continued to follow his mother's directions. Finally, after a few more instructions from his mom he was able to get a hold of his Uncle.

"Look Tasha some of us have a business to run."

"I thought Auntie Pepper ran the business."

"Thomas? What are you…? I'm on my way."

Thomas pulled the head gear off finally letting himself relax. Help was on the way and his parents were safe for now.

A loud banging from the back made Thomas jump. Thinking quickly he pulled the head set with him and ran to the back. Half way there he heard the floor under him sounded different and with a quick look he found a hidden handle. Pulling he found a small opening leading to the under carriage of the jet. Quickly he slid in as the back door was being pried open.

The under carriage held all the extra supplies. There were another two Iron man suits and quivers of arrows and a bow, lots of pistols and ammunition as well as medical supplies. Quietly Thomas grabbed two pistols and holsters and attached them to his legs than picked up the bow and a quiver of arrows as well. Finishing his looks he grabbed a string of grenades. As a second thought he grabbed some bandages. _Digitalis?_ Something he knew was commonly called foxgloves. He has done enough research on it in Bio-Chem class to know what it would do and its affects. _Why did they have those?_ He grabbed the small vial anyway.

Heading back to the hidden door he lifted up to the boots of what looked like about 20 people. He pulled a pin and threw the grenade and closed the door before running the opposite direction he threw it not knowing how much damage it would do to the jet. The loud bang created a hole in the floor of the jet and he sprinted and jumped up pulling a pistol out and looked for anything that moved.

He pushed back the panic as his eyes swept over the bodies and limbs. He did this. Blood thundered in his ears and his heart rate rose to a level he didn't ever remember it reaching. On his way out he couldn't help but notice the little USA flags on the shoulders of the bodies. Peeking out the back of the jet he saw another group of soldiers on the beach to his left. Taking a deep breath he pulled the pin of another grenade and threw it as far as he could, already running in to the woods, hoping the explosion would leave them distracted as he went out to look for his parents.

As he ran he pushed the ear piece. "Widow, I'm armed and out, the jet isn't safe." He slid down a dune to avoid being seen by men running off to his right. He slid the pistol back in its holster and pulled the bow off his shoulder. Pulling an arrow out he noticed the tip wasn't a normal arrow tip. The one he had pulled out had a rounded tip and little davits in it almost like a miniature silver golf ball.

"You can't be out here Thomas." He noticed how out of breath his mother sounded.

After another moment to catch his breath he continued his way through the trees.

"Just no grenades at you father" Natasha sighed. "We need him on our side."

Thomas froze as he looked for something to hide behind as a group of soldiers stood in front of him. He let out silent curses as they pointed to him, guns raised. He pulled the string back and tried to aim. Letting go the arrow flew and landed a good five feet in front of the group. He let out another string of curses as the soldiers laughed. He drummed his fingers against the handle not noticing the button and as he pressed it he watched the group of soldiers fall to the ground after what looked like being electrocuted. Pulling out another arrow this one with different tip and slowly made his way to the group. Satisfied they were no longer a threat he picked up the arrow in the sand and put it back in to the quiver.

With another quick look around he bolted through the trees. Off to his left he could see the large green mass he knew was his father and headed that direction. He knew it was complete luck that got him out of the last encounter with the soldiers. He was not about to test how much luck he still had. His dad would protect him and if he was lucky, his mom would be there too.

The beach front was completely destroyed with helicopters littered everywhere and bodies. The once blue waters around the island were now pink. The breeze carried the smell of dead bodies mixed with the salt of the ocean. Thomas' stomach heaved and he puked into the tree line. He had never seen a body in his life and today he's seen more than he wished.

Taking a few seconds to collect himself he pulled his bow back and aimed for one of the helicopters. He moved his aim up a bit to take into account the distance and to the left for the breeze and holding his breath he let go and watched it fly. As the arrow moved closer, his finger fidgeted by the button not wanting to wait. When he couldn't wait anymore he watched as the tip smoked and was disappointed when it did nothing more.

There was movement behind him and he turned an arrow already equip. He almost cried out when he saw his mother.

"Clint would be happy to see you picked his favourite."

"Yeah until he saw what a lousy shot I was."

She chuckled and wrapped her arm around his shoulder and kissed his head. "You holding up okay?"

"Yeah." Thomas said suddenly out of breath.

"Hey big guy! I found a way off this island. It won't stop these guys but it may delay them long enough for us to get away."

The Hulk grunted in responded. And Natasha turned to Thomas. "Hold on tight" and before he could responded she had tossed him up and he clung around the neck of the Hulk as his mother clung to his own waist. Climbing up, Natasha sat herself on the Hulks right shoulder directing him. Thomas on the other hand could only see the green of his dads back. Through the ear piece he heard his mother mention something about a jump and holding on really tight.

His hands slipped as the Hulk landed and Thomas hit the ground hard knocking the wind out of his lungs. His mother landed gracefully in front of him. "I'm going to scope the area and look for a spot to signal Tony without Ross knowing. Thomas, look after you father, I think it's about time for a lullaby." She said with a smirk before she took off in to the dense forest easily dodging roots and low hanging branches.

"Alright big guy, I need my dad back so let's try this again."

Thomas followed the instructions and for a second was worried when he saw the Hulk wander off and as he followed he noticed him shrink down to normal size as he collapsed to the ground. He now understood why his mother had taken his shirt off looking at the condition of his now destroyed pants. Kneeling beside his dad watched for what was to come next ignoring the rocks and pine needles pressed against his legs.

"Thomas?" Bruce blinked looking around confused. Panic hit him as he noticed he was not on the jet and he wasn't on the same island. Natasha was nowhere to be seen.

Thomas saw the panicked looked and explained. "We were attacked but you got us to safety and mom went to look for a way to signal the rest of the team."

"What are you doing here?" Bruce's eye widened as he saw the arsenal of weaponry his son had. There was no way Natasha would have let him out of the jet if it was dangerous, but if the jet was fine than wouldn't they be in the jet?

Thomas didn't know what came over him, but he through his arms around his dad and hugged him like his life depended on it. He almost died today and if he had, his dad would have thought that he hated him. "I don't hate you dad. I'm sorry for everything."

Bruce hugged him back relief washing over him hearing those words.

"We need to move. I don't know who it is but they will catch up to us soon enough."

Looking at his dad Thomas smiled before taking his jacket off and handing it to him along with one of the pistols he had strapped to him.

"So Natasha did the lullaby and left?" Bruce asked as they worked their way up a hill.

"Not exactly." Thomas panted out of breath. "I did the lullaby"

"Really?" Bruce sounded surprised. "Didn't think he'd warm up to you so quickly."

"Mom just told me to keep calm, said you wouldn't hurt me."

Bruce chuckled a bit. "The Hulk… the other guy, isn't me. A complete other entity more like."

Thomas shrugged. "Maybe, but I did see you in there."

Bruce laughed. "Now you sound like Natasha."

The two made it to the top of the hill and Thomas couldn't help but notice his father's bare feet. Together they looked over the water to see the island still surrounded by copters that were now collecting soldiers and dead. Bruce looked away not wanting to see the pile up of bodies. How many of those men had families? Wives and Children that were now fatherless because of him.

"I took quite a few out myself." Thomas said reading his father's body language.

The two continued in silence slowly distancing themselves from what Thomas now knew was Ross.

"So who is this Ross person?" Thomas finally asked holding a branch back for his dad.

Bruce gave him every detail as they continued to walk. He told him about the experiment, Betty and the Avengers initiate. As well as the abomination and his time moving from place to place where S.H.E.I.L.D found him in Calcutta, India.

"So your blood is what he wants. Well if he can't get it while you're the Hu…the other guy…" Thomas was catching on to the fact the Hulk was referred to as 'the other guy'. "…than why does he keep trying? The best to get it would be to take it while you were…not the other guy, right?"

"Lucky for me, he isn't as smart as you and I."

"Okay, so how come your blood didn't kill the abomination guy but it does other people?"

"Balonski had some of the super serum beforehand I guess. I never really thought about it."

Thomas knew that last part was a lie. He knew it was the gamma radiation that killed others, but he continued. "What if there were some people it killed and others it didn't others who are immune? Surely there are others that wouldn't die from your blood..."

Bruce stopped and stood in Thomas' way.

"Look I've been looking into my blood all my life trying to find a way to get rid of the other guy with no such luck. I'm not giving it to anyone to test that theory. Too many people die on account of the other guy I don't want to be responsible for more deaths and if they did survive who's to say they won't end up like me?" Bruce turned and looked away. "I wouldn't wish that on my enemies. It's a nightmare."

Thomas chose to ignore the last point. That was the reason he didn't have kids of his own, the fear of someone else stuck having to go through what he does. Thomas pushed forward. "You obviously have some control over it right? You didn't kill me, the exact opposite actually."

"One person does not out weight the thousand I did kill." Bruce's voice had gone soft.

"One person can make all the difference besides, if you didn't I wouldn't be here and neither would mom. You…he…whoever… was protecting us."

Bruce just shook his head. Before Thomas could continue something hit him in the back with the force to knock him forward. Bruce jumped to his side. Thomas felt his eyelids get heavy. He had seen enough television to know what tranquilizer did to people. "Go. I'll be fine." To Thomas he could hardly make out what he said as the world started to sway and his muscles became unresponsive. Someone kissed his forehead and muttered something about coming back before everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Thomas awoke in a bed and excitement filled him. He was home and his uncles had come and rescued them, but when he opened his eyes his heart sank as he found himself in an unfamiliar room. The walls were the same off white colour as the floor leaving the room with an uncanny look of a hospital room. He soon noticed all his weapons had been removed and he franticly searched his pocket for the one thing he hoped they didn't find. When his hand clamped around the vial he relaxed. He even noted the ear piece still intact; however he couldn't use it unless he direly need too. He still had an escape plan.

Thomas didn't know how long he sat there as there was no clock in the room. He was almost relieved when he was escorted by two larger soldiers into a large almost empty room where the only thing he could see was a rack in the center. Moments later he was shackled to the rack at the wrists and ankles.

Again he was left there for a long amount of time way past the point of comfort, when an older man with a reciting and greying hairline stood in front of him.

"So you are the mixed child." His voice was thick with an accent he didn't recognise. His glasses made his blue eyes seem bug like on his face.

Mixed child? Thomas knew that he had some striking similarities to his adoptive parents, but he was not their biological child. Many people made that met his parents made that mistake too. A little taller than Bruce with the same dark skin and eyes like Natasha, however all the facial features and mannerisms were not. Although the he could see why this guy would think he was the son of Bruce and Natasha.

"So we can do this the easy way, or the hard way." He ripped the shirt off Thomas and threw it on the floor. "All you have to do is answer my questions truthfully."

Thomas only nodded.

"Who if your father?"

"Bruce Marks" There was a loud crack behind him as his back stung.

"Who is your father?" he asked again.

Closing his eyes he responded the same as another crack of the whip hit his back. He fought to keep his strangled grasp silent.

"Who is your mother?"

"Natasha Marks" Another whip.

"Why were you with Bruce Banner?"

"I don't know who Bruce Banner is" Another whip

The man repeated the question, Thomas knowing what was coming. He knew that whatever he was going through it would have been worse if it was his parents and Thomas used that thought to keep him going as the blood trickled down his back and on to the floor. He didn't know how long he was strapped down and whipped after every question, but the questions continued.

"What do you know about the Avengers?"

"Nothing, they are just some scam…" He didn't even get a chance to finish. However he believed that his attacker had grown tired as instead of one lash he was given many, losing count after 5 as he didn't bother restraining his cry. After the last lash his let the full body weight sag onto the ropes. Suddenly the ropes were cut and he fell to the floor crying out again as he tried to brace his fall the muscles in his back screaming in protest. His arms fell from under him and he lay on the floor, his eyes scrunched closed.

The pain was worsened when a bucket of salt water was dumped on his back and Thomas didn't bother hiding his tears and screams of pain. He no longer cared if his captor reveled in his pain.

"Your parents will come for you and when they do, I will get what I need and then kill them."

Thomas shook his head unable to otherwise move. "It's not possible. My parents died 12 years ago." Another sharp pain as something hit his back with a large force and his breath hitched. He blinked trying to refocus but everything remained blurry.

"Lies!" it sounded almost like a hiss. Another hit and he was sent into blackness.

Thomas learned to like the darkness that ended his lashings. He didn't feel the pain and it was a time he could relax without the constant reminder that his family hadn't come to rescue him yet. Although he could never tell how long he had been there as it seemed there was no night and day. When he awoke they took him for more lashings, giving him the same questions and he always responded the same.

Thomas tried to shift to a more comfortable position but stopped mid-way as the wool blanket pulled at his damaged back. He closed his eyes again knowing that as soon as they found him awake, they would take him back to be whipped. So he lay there thinking about how different his life is and would continue to be if he ever got out of this place. Uncle Tony, of course had to be Iron man. Thomas could have slapped himself for not seeing it before. Rich business man that always had comeback for everything he told him. The thought made him smile. Uncle Clint had to be Hawkeye, it explained why he always won the nerf gun wars they had. There would be no one in the same room as him but he'd still get hit square in the chest, a lucky shot, but know he understood it had nothing to do with luck.

He tried now to remember the conversations he overheard in the halls at school trying to piece together his families' secret identities.

He remembered one conversation in particular.

 _"_ _Steve Rogers is defiantly the hottest Avenger." The blonde haired girl Thomas remembered was Alice. Thomas only rolled his eyes not resisting the urge to shoot the Avengers down. "He's not real. Even if he was he'd be over 75 years old, I think he's a little out of your league."_

 _Alice only huffed before ignoring him and continuing with her friends. "Either way…" She shot Thomas a glare. "…S.H.E.I.L.D. monitors them so they always know where they are. They are protected from our world."_

 _"_ _Like Bruce Banner is from General Ross."_

 _Again Thomas couldn't keep his mouth shut and cut off the nerdy black haired boy Ray._

 _"_ _The Hulk isn't a thing. It's all fake. I mean come on, how has no one seen this thing? It's physically and scientifically impossible." Thomas crossed his arms a smug look on his face knowing they couldn't deny it._

 _Ray only smirked back. "Gamma rays exposed to heat could cause the reaction that would result to the transformation to the hulk…" Thomas pushed himself off the wall ready to argue back when Ray continued. "…That can happen with the release of adrenaline from the adrenaline gland. It would explain why the transformations only happened through anger or fear. So it's not actually impossible, just not as likely."_

 _Thomas opened his mouth but closed it not finding a way to argue back. He would go home and do an excessive amount of research on gamma radiation and its effects however he pushed on for now. "Why wouldn't S.H.E.I.L.D just keep them all locked away until they needed them?"_

 _Alice looked like she would slap him. "S.H.E.I.L.D protects us from threats. The avengers are not a threat, they have lives too. Hawkeye has a family, a wife and kids. Iron man has a business to run and Thor has family on Asguard. They are all regular people."_

 _Thomas shook his head. "How can they live normal lives if everyone knows who they are?"_

 _"_ _No one knows who they are with secret identities, duh." Alice looked almost shocked Thomas didn't think of it before._

 _"_ _The Hulk can't be hidden forever; certainly he's a threat and should be locked up."_

 _Thomas smirked as the rest of the group remained silent trying to find a logical explanation._

 _"_ _Bruce always runs." Ray said._

 _"_ _Yeah, because he doesn't trust anyone, he thinks S.H.E.I.L.D could be after his blood but we all know Nick Fury wouldn't risk losing Banner over it." Alex, a short ginger boy continued._

 _"_ _There was a point he lived with Tony Stark and the two of them did science stuff together." Alice continued._

 _"_ _And they created the Hulk buster and Veronica…"_

 _Thomas walked away. He knew deep down that the Avengers had saved his life, but he couldn't admit it. His parents died and what did the Avengers do for him? Nothing. Instead he was adopted into a family that has no history records, no ancestry, not even any mention of grandparents. He checked more than once in more than one library for any records at all. Not even his uncles seemed to have any history._

 _So he continued on his way to his bio-chem class, glad lunch was over and that he only had a few months left of school. He could leave and never come back. No more talk of the Avengers and no more Marks family._

Thomas could almost say he was happy so see his was not being lead to the same room, but instead was sat in a chair in what looked like a small doctor's office. The good feeling left when his arms were tied behind his back and his back pressed up against the hard metal backing of the chair which caused him to grit his teeth through the pain.

"I thought I was being fair, giving you an opportunity to work with me but it seems we must do this the hard way." The old man was now dressed in a white lab coat, one he often saw his father come home in. A small twinge of sadness hit him at the thought.

The older man pulled out a syringe the needle looking to be about four inches in length. "Blood and bone marrow will suffice and if it is what I need than we can kill you."

"Why didn't you just take it when I was unconscious?"

"It wasn't enough."

Thomas shivered. _What on earth were they using his DNA for?_ "How much did you take?"

"Not enough clearly. There have been no signs of anything abnormal, but I know there is. The radiation and regenerative gene is there somewhere…"

Thomas sat for a moment confused. This guy couldn't work for Ross because Ross would only settle for Bruce. Thomas tried to think back to the conversation he overheard in the kitchen. _What was the other group? Hammer? Hydro?_

Thomas was pulled from his thinking by the pinch of the needle being poked into his neck. The next one was the one that hurt. It was the one for bone marrow.

The two samples were quickly put into a machine and the old man waited impatiently. Thomas finally understood what this was all about. If no one could catch the Hulk, than the next best thing would be any of his children, which also explained why Bruce insisted on adopting. He couldn't have kids because they would forever be in danger like he was. It also explained why he had seemed so nervous about revealing the other guy to him. If Thomas didn't know about him, than no one would get any answers from him because he would truly have no idea. It was all to protect him.

Again guilt seeped into Thomas' mind. If he hadn't been so persistent on pushing his dad to his limits than his father wouldn't be feeling like this was his fault, something he knew his dad was doing. Bruce would be beating himself up over the fact the Thomas was captured and he didn't…couldn't stop it. That also put him in danger. Thomas knew his dad would come to get him, even if it risked his own life. The guilt grew until he felt a stray tear sliding down his cheek.

The sound of someone typing furiously at a keyboard had Thomas looking up. The old man looked angered as he looked over what Thomas could only assume were the results of the bone marrow and blood tests.

"Who are you?" The man walked a hasty speed toward him.

"Thomas"

The man struck him across the face.

"Who are your parents?" His anger growing.

"I don't know they died when I was young."

Another smack across the face and Thomas could taste blood.

"How do you know Bruce Banner?"

"I don't know Bruce Bann…" Another smack.

"He was there when we tranquilized you. So I will ask once more. How do you know Dr. Banner?"

Thomas raked his brain for the name. He recognised it but where? Finally it clicked. Bruce Banner was the Hulk. Of course the Marks Family name had no records or ancestry. It was a secret identity used to protect them for people like this guy. Who knew all those Avenger's conversations would turn out to be helpful?

"He…" Thomas franticly looked for an explanation that would be both believable, but not give too much away. "…I don't know him as Banner. He gave me a different name. He's my uncle. We were out hunting."

A hand was lifted but the man hesitated before turning quickly and leaving.

Thomas has his head down finally feeling relaxed, or as close to relaxed as he could be. That was until the muzzle of a gun was pushed to his head.

"You are of no use to me anymore Mr. Thomas."

"Actually I still could be." His heart was racing; sure the old man could hear it.

"I'm listening."

Thomas swallowed past the lump in his throat. Was what he doing really the best option? He hoped so. He turned his head to the side in hopes his shoulder could hold down the button in his ear as he contained.

"It's the Avengers you want right?" It was confirmed with a nod; however the gun was still pressed to his head.

"I am a hostage. With the right push you will have them all here to come save me…"

Through the ear piece he could hear that his family was listening even being able to catch a few joyous cries before being shushed by Natasha.

"…and you can set up a trap to catch them."

Thomas could hear the start of an argument from his uncle Tony before he was shushed again and Clint explained what it was Thomas was doing.

"You cannot believe the Avengers will come for one little boy."

"Show them my back and they will come."

There was a click and Thomas knew he was losing the man's interest.

"They don't know where I am so that's why they haven't come already, send them a message and they will track it here…" A slap across the face silenced him.

"No one can just catch the Avengers! I only want two…"

"…then they will settle if it means you don't shoot me."

He could see the confliction on the man's face, not sure if he could trust Thomas.

With a quick turn the man strode to the door. "Do not think you are off the hook Mr. Thomas."

Thomas hung his head down in defeat. He just risked the lives of his only family because he was too chicken to die. A shot to the head would be so final. No pain, just one second here and the next not. The team could track him now that he sent a signal out, but he knew if they showed up or even touched the parameters he'd be shot no questions asked.

"Thomas you did the right thing. I know you think you didn't but if it was any of us we would have done the same."

Tears fell from Thomas' eyes knowing no amount of words from his mother could comfort him now. If this trap was successful he would have done the very thing he knew he couldn't. He knew it was the Widow and the Hulk this guy was after and he knew his parents would both come. The only thing Thomas could think to say back was sorry.

He had been left tied to the chair for a while before being returned to his room. If he hadn't just risked his whole family he may have been over joyed by the fact he had no lashings that day or any time after that. He was left to sit and think alone in his room occasionally receiving a tray with mashed potatoes, meatballs and string beans.

The waiting was killing him, not knowing what this guy was doing or what kind of trap he has planned. He didn't even have the heart to put the earpiece back in after the chair incident, instead it resided in his pocket. What could he say? Sorry would definitely not be enough.


	4. Chapter 4

He was dragged from his room as he didn't have the strength to walk. He knew where he was going. This was the message, the signal his family, his parents had been waiting for. To his disappointment he was shackled back to the rack, his shirt removed.

It was the first time Thomas noticed the large screen in front of him and no sooner did his eyes land on it the screen lit up with the team, his family. He quickly looked away not wanting to see the emotions he knew where in his mothers' eyes. He did notice the only family member missing was his dad. Maybe that was a good thing.

"I demand your full cooperation or the boy dies."

"What is it that you want?" Captain America asked.

"The boy's parents."

"See that may be a bit difficult seeing as they died 12 years ago, however I'm sure we can find the bodies…the government may ask questions though…" Thomas couldn't help but smile at the metallic sound of Tony's Iron Man suit. The smile was gone when the whip hit his back. He made no sound.

"I want the ones he calls mother and father. Adopted parents if I remember correctly…"

"We will come…"

"NO!" another whip cut off his mother. "I want just the two"

"Why?" Clint asked, though Thomas was pretty sure he already knew.

"What other reason would there be. Here I thought this brat would have the mixture of both but he has nothing!" Another whip Thomas stayed silent for. "If I could get both… the things I could make… They must be willing…"

There was a long pause and Thomas couldn't resist, he looked up and the looks on their faces told him they already had their answer. He has to warn them.

"Don't do it. It's a trap" _Crack_ "Please, I'm not…" _Crack_ "I'm not worth it." This time he was lashed until they felt he would stay silent, the sound of the whip filling the otherwise deafening silence.

When the cracks stopped the sound of soft whimpers were heard and he was thrown to the floor. He couldn't look up now that they saw his back. He couldn't imagine what it would have looked like. How many whips had he endured? They would scar surely as he had no time to recover. So he lay on the floor as he softly wept. He didn't know if his family was still watching, but for one thing, he was glad his dad hadn't seen.

"YOU!" Before he could move there was the sound of a gunshot and his left should stung. "You are of no use to me now. You little…" The old man couldn't seem to find a word which only added to his rage more. The pistol was pressed against the back of his head causing his face to be pressed to the floor. He waited for it. He was concentrating so hard he didn't hear the sirens going off or notice the lights go off. He didn't even notice that the pistol was no longer pressed to his head. It was the loud rawr that shook him to his senses. He knew that sound.

Rolling over onto his good shoulder Thomas took in the sight of the Hulk. _How did he get here so fast? Was the rest of the team here too?_ Thomas couldn't supress the grin on his face. If the Hulk was here, so was the rest of the team. If the creepy old guy wasn't here, he was safe.

"Hey big guy." Thomas cringed at the sound of his voice, it sounded weak, broken, almost a whisper.

The Hulk looked over and at the sight of Thomas lying in a pool of his blood had several emotions flash through his eyes. Thomas could recognise anger, though it was almost always there as the Hulk, but also grief. It was gone before Thomas could clearly comprehend it and with the room dark but now empty, the Hulk sat himself beside Thomas. Looking up Thomas noticed he had his hand out. _A lullaby? Why was the Hulk looking for a lullaby?_ Seeing the world spin around him as he sat up, he was starting to understand why. The Hulk couldn't help him, Bruce could.

Thomas obliged and ignoring the pain of his back and shoulder, hugged Bruce. He couldn't help but notice how tired his father seemed. _Did that happen because the Hulk took a lot of energy from him? He didn't remember it like that last time_. He shook the thought off, they had to move.

"We need to round up the others and go. I don't know what trap this guy set but he seems a little too confident it'll work." Thomas tried pushing to his feet.

"I'm here on my own Thomas. The rest of the team is still on their way. I…"

"No they're not." Thomas paled. Only Natasha would come to their aid and by the time she got there this creep could have Bruce.

"What do you mean no they're…"

"You have to go right now. You're in danger here. GO!"

"Thomas I'm not leaving you here…"

Thomas used whatever strength left to push his father away. "He wants your blood and he knows he can't get it when you're the Hulk. You're vulnerable here…"

Before he could finish his father collapsed on to him and he noticed the tranquilizer dart in his back. Quickly Thomas pulled himself to his feet and started to drag his father to get somewhere, he didn't care. All thought process left his brain and he just pulled his father down endless hallways leaving a trail of his blood. His knees gave way, but he didn't seem to notice he just continued crawling down the halls his father in tow. He wasn't surprised he was pulled from his father by large guys with guns and it didn't surprise him the only way he was separated from his father was for him too, to be tranquilized. Everything went dark, the last image he remembered was his father being pulled the opposite direction he was being taken.

Thomas bolted up, regretting it as his back and shoulder protested. The room swayed as he tried to refocus. He had to inform his mom. Struggling to get the ear piece out of his pocket as he needed to use his right hand to get into his left pocket, he slid it into his ear.

"Banner's caught. Abort."

He was relieved to hear his mother respond back.

"I know. He's with me."

Thomas couldn't help the silent 'no' slip from his lips. This was exactly what this guy wanted and now that he had both it was only a matter of time before he would get shot and now, he no longer had a way out. He also knew that if an escape plan was made, the Hulk would be out of commission. No doubt his father was constantly put out to prevent the risk of the Hulk stepping in.

"When I tell you, you get yourself out okay? Don't come looking for me or your father."

Knowing he couldn't argue with his mother he instead asked. "When?"

"You'll know."

The sirens made him jump. He hadn't realised he fell asleep as he spent most of his time angry with himself for letting things get this far. It was his fault they were all here and they were paying for it. He knew he wouldn't follow Natasha's orders.

Was this what Natasha said would be the signal? Even if he did run he had no idea how to get out. Not wasting another minute Thomas jumped up and to the door. It was unlocked. He bolted from his room and ran down the hallways that he knew lead to the little doctor room he was tied up in.

Thomas searched every room he passed hoping to eventually find at least one of his parents. He continued running finding he was in a part of the building he had never seen before. The halls were white and seemed to stretch on forever. They were wide enough for more than three people to walk beside each other with little darkened window halfway up the walls. He didn't stop running long enough to comprehend anything more.

He sprinted past a large window and a flash of red caught his attention. He halted and pressed himself against the glass. On the far end of the room he could see his mother tied to a chair next to man with his head hung down of whom he assumed was Bruce. He also noticed they were both hooked up to a machine that was drawing their blood. His mother's face has been beaten.

How was he going to get them out of there? Brute force was not an option. Although, the only other person on the room was the creepy old guy who was distracted with Bunsen burners, microscopes and what he assumed was his parent blood. Maybe he could sneak in.

Thinking that was the best he could come up with at the moment, Thomas reached the door and slide in unnoticed. He kept close to the outside of the room slowly working his way to the back. There was a crunch under his foot and he froze. Silently cursing himself he looked down to find broken glass. A small smile slide its way onto his face. He had a plan. Sort of.

The Old man was working on a raised platform that overlooked the rest of the room. If Thomas could get himself underneath it, he could at least cut some of the binds his parent's had with the glass. So Thomas set forward making sure he was completely silent.

"You know, it was almost too easy to get you."

Thomas froze his heart hammering in his chest. He was caught. How would he get himself out of this one? He was about to step out when a voice stopped him.

"If you wanted a challenge you should have taken us both on at the same time."

Thomas cringed at how raw and hoarse Natasha's voice sounded. She didn't even look up, just continued to keep her head hung down in defeat. Thomas continued forward.

He made it to the platform but there was one thing Thomas didn't account for, his injured arm. He would have to crawl on his stomach to reach where his parents were and with a bad shoulder he wouldn't be able to cougar crawl. He looked around for some other sort of route, but the next best thing would be to crawl over the platform across the old man's shoes and down. Not a plan, needless to say.

Shaking his head Thomas slid on his stomach and lamely pushed himself forward. He held his breath to keep from crying out and even moved slower as he passed underneath the old man. He could be seen through the floor of the platform however it was so dimly lit, he had no fear of being spotted. He was however, open to the little drops of whatever the scientist above him was doing, it slowly soaking his back and stinging as it reached the skin.

Finally after what seemed like forever had made to his mother and quickly went to cut her feet lose. She opened her eyes than, shock apparent on her face that quickly switched to anger _. Of course she'd be angry; you totally ignored her instruction to leave._ Quickly he moved to hands and his father feet, his hands stayed tied to keep him from falling out of the chair.

Thomas slide back under the platform and watched as his mother continued to sit as though she was tied.

"Tell me Strucker, what it is you are desperately trying to make?"

"A person that could put you both out of business. The hulk's immunity with your regenerative gene… this person would be unstoppable."

"Doesn't sound too exciting."

"I'm closer than you think." That got Natasha to her feet and she swung through the bars and kicked the old guy, Strucker, in the face.

"Not if I can help it."

It was at this point Thomas was pretty sure Strucker noticed him sitting underneath the platform.

Natasha freed Bruce and proceeded to the door with him as Thomas shuffled out of his spot. He couldn't help but look back as Strucker grabbed two little syringes with blue liquid in it, before hurrying out a back door.

Thomas followed his mother and ended up being the one to carry Bruce as Natasha cleared the way ahead. He remembered the wide white hallways on his way to find his parents however he had no idea where in the building he was. Sirens were going off and lights were flickering but they pressed on. He couldn't ignore the sounds of gunfire behind him knowing, they would eventually catch up.

Natasha returned to help Thomas saying the next bit was deserted. It was at this time she scolded him.

"I told you go."

"And now I am, with the whole family. I got us stuck here; I'm not leaving anyone behind."

She muttered something about sounding like Steve before continuing. "Let's just hope Bruce comes too before we get in a pickle."

Thomas was going to say he hoped it was before he got too tired to carry him anymore but a loud bang from behind them had Natasha gesturing for them to stick to the wall. "I'll be right back." And she left Thomas with the unconscious Bruce yet again.

Thomas laid Bruce on the floor, his arm getting tired of carrying the weight, and sat down beside him. His hand went to his pocket where he realised he still had the small vial. He was pretty sure he wouldn't need it.

"I never wished for any of this to happen." Thomas spoke to no one in particular. "If I had known from the start…The people I could have killed… The guilty it would have left you…" He looked over to his dad.

"I know you may not like the other guy, but I feel like…" Thomas paused looking for the right words. _They're connected? Of course they're connected they share a body._ "…he makes you complete." Thomas concluded.

Bruce stirred and Thomas was ready to help him up when someone pulled him back.

"Where are your mommy and daddy now?" Strucker's, thick accent giving him away. Looking up he found that Natasha had rounded the corner and froze as she saw Strucker holding him in a choke hold.

"You were supposed to be willing subjects to keep the boy alive. You don't seem so willing now."

Thomas felt the arms tighten around his neck. His hand slipped into his pocket.

"Let him go."

"No, he will stay here in front of me; you can't touch me without hitting him. All I need is this…" He waved one of the syringes at Natasha. "…and the Hulk will be the least of your problems."

It was at this moment Bruce came to and it only took a few seconds to understand the situation and unfortunately freak out the other guy.

His mother had dropped to Bruce's side glancing up and Thomas every so often but focused more on keeping the Hulk at bay.

It was something Thomas hadn't seen before. All the other times the transformation happened in a matter of seconds but what he was watching showed otherwise. It seemed even Strucker had stopped to watch.

His father's fingers broke though the tile floor, clutching to it for dear life as the shirt on his back seemed more likely to rip off as the muscles strained against the fabric. His skin was going green and the shade only getting darker as time passed. He could hear his mother ranting about breathing, and this not being a good place, but it didn't seem to have any affect.

It was almost like watching the transformation in slow-motion the only thing keeping it from feeling so was the grunts, murmurs and cries of something that wasn't quiet human but not animal either.

Natasha seemed to give in and instead murmured things like "just let it happen" and "let him go". And it was at that point the rest of the change happened in a normal speed, almost seeming like he needed the approval first.

Thomas took this time to swing his arm and knock the syringe out of Strucker's hand where it fell and shattered on the floor. Again the grip around his neck tightened.

The longer they stayed in the position the more angry the Hulk seemed, the brown eyes slowly going green. Thomas had no idea what that meant but he had a feeling it wasn't good.

Strucker had pulled out the final syringe and had it positioned to enter his vein. Thomas knew he had only two options.

Natasha, busy trying to keep the other guy calm saying he couldn't get Strucker without hurting Thomas, but by the looks of his eyes, he almost didn't care. Thomas couldn't let Strucker take whatever was in the syringe, but he couldn't just sit there, knowing the Hulk would step in and he couldn't let his dad know it was he who killed Thomas. So with and iron grip on the vial, he moved so Strucker missed his arm and hit Thomas' instead.

The liquid felt like fire burning through his system and as he started to panic the blood pushed it through his system faster. Foxgloves had many possible side effects if too much was taken, however Thomas didn't care and he drained the vail knowing the world would slip away. The sound of his name was ripped from his mother's mouth, but it seemed distant. Even the cry from the Hulk and the sound of walls being destroyed seemed to be farther away than he knew they were. Everything was black as he heard his rate slowly decrease.

Fingers were pressed to his neck than felt weightless. Maybe he had been picked up or maybe it was the combination of chemicals slowly killing him that made him felt weightless, but he knew his parents would end up fine and he remembered nothing more.


	5. Chapter 5

_Little Thomas was sitting on Natasha's lap as the two of them watched something on the kids network before heading out for school. Bruce watched from the door way as the two on the couch giggled and laughed about something._

 _"_ _Come on we don't want to be late do we?" Natasha sat up still holding Thomas in her arms._

 _Natasha turned and she met Bruce's eyes. She put Thomas down and pushed toward the hall. "Go get your things; I'm going to talk to Bruce for a second." And the 6 year old nodded scurrying down the hall._

 _She crossed her arms and slowly worded her way toward Bruce resting against the door frame._

 _"_ _You sure we did the right thing?"_

 _Natasha smiled. "He seems to be fitting in just fine."_

 _Bruce turned away. Thomas was fitting in fine, sure, but he still avoided Bruce with warry glances. Maybe he sensed the other guy and that's what put him off. He was also pretty sure the other guy was warry of Thomas too._

 _"_ _Maybe Steve would be better suited for this, I mean me a… the other guy may not like…"_

 _"_ _You'll be fine. You may find you make a better dad than you think." And she turned taking Thomas' hand and left for school._

Brue sat up in bed the wisps of his dream slowly slipping away. He looked over at the clock to read it was sometime early in the morning. He sat there debating on whether or not to try going back to sleep but concluded that his mind was now too busy.

Slipping out of his room Bruce worked his way down to the lab. After returning with-what he later found out was an induced coma Thomas- the group decided it was best for them to say at the tower. He monitored Thomas all the time he could, looking for any signs of life or changes. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if Thomas didn't come back. It had taken 12 years for the two of them to finally get some sort of bond, though he couldn't be sure Thomas felt the same.

He walked the hallways without problems as he ended doing it so often he was sure he could probably make it to and from his lab blind and not hit anything.

Bruce had made it half way when he realized it was not where he wanted to go. So changing his direction he worked his way to the medial wing to the lonely little room he now spent most of his time. The soft sounds of the heart monitor the only thing filling the silence. Bruce sat and watched over Thomas resisting the urge to check for any signs of change, any sign of hope that he may come out of this.

This turned in to his routine over the next few months, restless sleep and sitting watching over Thomas. Mostly he enjoyed being alone with him where he could speak his mind knowing Thomas couldn't hear what he was saying.

"It's almost sad…" Bruce smiled at the thought. "…I think I was more afraid of you than you were of me." He looked to the floor he's hands fidgeting showing his nerves though he felt more relaxed here then he could remember ever being. "I always ask myself if it was the right thing, bringing you into this dysfunctional group of people we call a family." He chuckled at the last part. "But I feel like you've become part of the family even if you didn't want to be." He smiled thinking of all the times he had visited with Tony and Steve and Clint and all the things they would tell him. "I remember Tony telling me the one time where you almost found his suits down in the lab and he was freaking out. Said the robotics was boring you." He laughed at the memory. "He phoned me freaking out wondering if you had mentioned anything about it."

"And the time Clint told me you thought he could turn invisible because he would always win the nerf wars you had. He said you thought he was cheating but Steve would promise you that he didn't. Guess now you know better." His smile faltered.

"And I was so afraid the other guy would hurt you or you would…reject me for it. I wouldn't have blamed you." His voice dropped. His friends often told him the other guy was really a good guy too, but he couldn't find a way to believe them. He fell silent thinking about all the memories he had missed out on due to the fear of the other guy.

He thought back to what Natasha had told him about being a good dad. He knew Steve or Clint would have been better. Hell Tony could have been good too. They didn't have an alter ego to constantly look out for. Though throughout the years he didn't ever have an incident, no matter how hard Thomas seemed to try.

He looked up at the sleeping form. "I feel like I need to apologise. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me…"

"It's on the fault of all of us."

Bruce turned to see Natasha standing at the door watching him. _How long had she been standing there? How much did she hear?_

She moved and sat in the vacant chair next to him watching the sleeping boy. "This may not have turned out the way we would have wanted it to, but maybe this isn't so bad. He knows we're family now and we know without a shout of a doubt that he will protect us like we do him." The corner of her mouth slipped up her eye showing sympathy.

"I just wished I had better control of the other…" He stopped knowing what her response would be.

He had noticed the fear in Thomas' face while he was being held by Strucker. The other guy almost didn't care if Thomas got hurt if it meant shutting down Strucker to keep himself safe. Had Thomas made the right choice? He was almost thankful Thomas chose to take the DNA instead of waiting and the Hulk possibly getting involved. He wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he hurt Thomas, although the radiation in his blood could end up resulting the same.

Natasha gave him an encouraging smile before getting up to leave murmuring that it will all work out.

It had been three months when the Doctors informed the Avengers team that Thomas was no longer suffering from radiation poisoning, and that there was more activity in the brain, all in all meaning he was getting better. It was at this point the rest of the team insisted on going out to celebrate, not giving Bruce an option.

Together the five of them went for a nice dinner and dancing. Although the dancing was more along the lines of Natasha taking each man out for a dance in turn while the other sat and watched. Bruce laughed along with Steve and Clint as they watched Tony and Natasha dance. Natasha would turn one way and Tony the other and then give each other hard glares neither wanting to let the other lead. They didn't make it through the half the song, but Bruce didn't think anyone else noticed.

Steve started off stumbling but caught on quick however he looked like he was a bit stiff throughout the whole ordeal. Natasha was at least playing nice by not making a big deal out of it and teased lightly about him needing to learn to dance.

Clint was up next due to the fact it was a slow country song and Natasha thought it would be funny since he and Laura lived on a farm. Clint did refuse, but Natasha eventually got him on the dance floor and Bruce was pretty sure their laughter and farm animal noises scared away most of the other couples. It was the most fun any of them had had in a long while.

Of course when Natasha insisted Bruce was next he turned it down. Tony and Clint pushed him toward the floor while Steve mentioned something about not needing to know how to dance before he joined the other two, directing him toward Natasha.

Despite having adopted a kid with Natasha the two of them never really shared feelings. They were more like roommates looking after the same kid. Tony however knew that this would be a big thing for him as he accidently told Tony his feelings for Natasha. Well it was more like Tony eavesdropped on him.

Natasha smiled holding her hand out while the other was placed on his shoulder. "Ready?" Taking a breath to calm his nerves he took Natasha's hand and placed his other hand closer to her back then waist. Raising an eyebrow she slid his hand down to her waist. "I don't bite Dr. Banner." A smug smile tugging on her lips.

Bruce gladly led her away from the wall where the other Avengers were hooting and calling after the couple. "You uh look lovely" His eyes moved down her body over her long black evening gown that clung to every curve of her body. Once his eyes were back on her face Bruce noticed the smile and shy look through her eyelashes. "Thanks, you shine up nice too."

He looked away and found Tony, turned away on his phone.

Natasha leaned her head on Bruce's shoulder and closed her eyes letting him sweep her across the room.

"I told you it would all work out." Natasha glanced up at him and smiled back finally letting himself relax as he focused on her and not Thomas. As the song finished he bowed and she curtsied in return as Clint hollered at them and Steve just smiled. As Bruce and Natasha joined them she asked if anyone wanted a second go and Clint pulled her to the floor saying the first one didn't count.

"You have good chemistry." Steve said watching Clint and Natasha laugh as the moved across the floor.

"Nah, that's just Natasha…"

Steve raised an eyebrow at Bruce who was looking down and fiddling with his glasses. "I don't know a lot of people Romanoff would willingly play the role of a mother for, yet for you she didn't even ask questions." And he left Banner to think.

A few songs later an out of breath Clint and Natasha joined Bruce.

"Where'd Cap and Stark go?" At Clint's question Bruce took in the absence of two.

"Donno"

"I'll go look for them" And Clint left Bruce with Natasha.

"Walk with me." Natasha pulled Bruce's arm toward the bar. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? N-nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?"

She fixed him a look. "You can't lie to me Bruce. Something is on your mind."

He couldn't tell her what was really on his mind as he was still thinking over what the Captain had said so he turned away. Of course lack of eye contact was another sign he wasn't being truthful however he couldn't think of anything else. "It's nothing really."

"It's Thomas isn't it? You're worried about him."

Deciding he didn't trust his voice he nodded.

"Hey! We need to go. Got at an issue at the tower." Clint was waving at them from across the room where he stood by the door.

Turning to face each other they both uttered the same name.

"Thomas"

Tony explained in the car that Jarvis called him saying that the Thomas' vitals just went berserk all of a sudden.

"…Increasing heart rate and body temperature. As well as muscle spasms."

"When did it start?" Bruce growing more concerned by the second.

Tony gave Bruce every detail Jarvis had given him and by the time he finished the car had been parked and they were all in the elevator. Bruce was anxious and he knew that was not good for many reason, but he didn't care, he was almost certain the other guy would keep his distance in order to keep Thomas alive. He would even promise the other guy time to wreak havoc somewhere if he had too.

As soon as the door opened he sprinted down the hall as his fellow teammates followed yelling at him to stop and calm down. He didn't even stop to look in the window first; he just plowed into the room his eye moving to the heart monitor and screen that showed the condition of all the vitals. Pulling his glasses out of his pocket he set to work looking for the cause of the sudden dramatic change.

Bruce worked for hours even after the vitals were back to normal. He found nothing that could have caused the random outburst. Tired and exhausted he fell to a sit in one of the chairs pulling his glasses off of his face. He rubbed his face wondering if sleep would even be plausible, when Tony walked in.

"Any luck?"

Bruce shook his head

"Did you try…"

"Trust me. I tried everything."

Tony huffed but didn't bother retorting. He moved to inspect all the notes he knew Bruce had taken. Something was off. "Jarvis buddy, could you get the rest of the guys in here?"

Bruce stood and moved beside Tony as the AI did what was asked. It was only a matter of minutes before the rest had collected around Tony.

Tony enlarged the screen and looked back to everyone else.

"The scars are gone, completely healed as if nothing happened."

"His back too?" Clint seemed unconvinced.

"What happened to his back?"

They all turned to Bruce realising he wasn't there for the call and therefore hadn't seen the damage caused by the whipping.

"Bruce, maybe we should go outside…" Natasha was already moving towards the door.

"Natasha…"

"Please?" It wasn't the please that did it but the look in her eyes. Guilt? Remorse? Pain? Taking a quick look around he noticed everyone else had the same look. Something was wrong.

Nodding, Bruce followed Natasha into the hallway.

"When you went for Thomas…" She paused trying to find the softest way to break it to Bruce knowing this plus the recent unexplained change in Thomas' vitals would have the other guy clawing to get out. She tried again.


	6. Chapter 6

-Thomas-

There was a sound of constant beeping that he hadn't realised until now. The lights in the room seemed to be too bright and it caused him to keep his eyes squinted shut. Slowly the sounds of numerous people rushing around the room became apparent. Slowly the world around him started to focus as the brightness from the room seemed to fade. Upon opening his eye he realised how white the room was and busy. There were nurses and doctors rushing around the room drowning out the sound of the beeping, his heart monitor. For a moment he wondered how he got there, an unfamiliar room surrounded by people he didn't know, than he remembered Strucker and he frowned. He was probably caught again.

He sat up and watched the nurses busy themselves around him wondering why none of them tended to him. Pushing the thought aside he swung his legs over the bed to the floor and couldn't help but feel lighter. He shrugged figuring it was the lack of food or water and proceeded to the door and to the hall.

He didn't recognise where he was but he followed the hall down to the window where he saw the city of New York shining in the sun light, the metal reflecting the sun's ray to make the view even brighter.

He turned smiling into the room. It looked like a living room, couches and a coffee table with a large screen on the wall. The technology was beyond anything he had ever seen in stores, the closest he's been to things like this was with his uncle…well not really an uncle, Tony. Than it clicked in, this had to be the Avengers tower. His smile widening he danced around the room with his arms out laughing. He was in the Avengers tower. All those kids at his school would be completely jealous. He stopped frozen as he saw Tony standing in the door way.

Tony looked confused as he looked at Thomas.

"That's odd. Jarvis is there an enhanced in the building?"

"Nothing sir."

"An enhanced? Is that someone else with powers?" Thomas waited for an answer but got nothing as Tony slowly circled the room his eyes glued to the floor. Looking down Thomas noticed his shadow before everything went dark again.

-Bruce-

 _Permanent scarring…He was whipped…He didn't give anything away…He took the lashings to keep us safe._ Natasha's words swirled around his head as his emotions were everything but in check. It was his fault. If Thomas hadn't known he would have been safe.

Bruce rotated the small vial in his hands absent mindedly. He had swabbed the inside of it to test the substance only to find it was a type of plant product weeks ago when they first arrived. It took about a night to research about it, but he concluded this is what Thomas had used to induce a coma. A smart move if only it didn't have so many other health issues.

Digitalis was commonly known as foxglove and with over 20 different species it took him about a week to figure out which one was liquefied in the vial. It was first used as an antiarrhythmic agent to control heart rate, though normally to treat heart failure. It made better sense to Bruce once he made the link to the chemical digoxin.

It was the over dose in digoxin that caused the coma, however Bruce didn't stop his research there, he took careful note that it can affect DNA and RNA. This is the kind of stuff he started to look for when the other nurses had left and so far he had found nothing. When he first heard of the sudden changes in the vitals he was almost it had to be digoxin, but nothing showed for it so he was left just as frustrated as he was before.

"They say he should be up and about in a week or so."

Bruce jumped at the sound of Tony's voice unaware of his entrance.

"And those notes on digoxin seem moot. Don't get me wrong, you did your homework well, A+ notes by the way, but it just seems like an unnecessarily large amount of work." He tossed a handful of blueberries into his mouth. "A change in DNA would need a lot more than a little vial that size." He gestured to Bruce's hands. "That and would have to be..."

"...in the blood stream." Bruce finished. "Like I said before, I looked through everything and I still can't find anything…"

"…then stop looking and it will appear."

Bruce sighed, but secretly was glad it was Tony that had come to find him. He didn't wish to see Natasha afraid she didn't tell him everything to keep the other guy cool. Small doses of info was probably the best course of action, but he wanted all the facts, all the parts of the equation.

Tony patted Bruce's shoulder before turning to leave him to his own thoughts again. "Make sure you catch up on some sleep, big guy. Thomas wouldn't want to wake up to a zombified Bruce. Oh and keep an eye out for shadows. I've seen a few…things…never mind." And the door clicked shut behind him.

Bruce let out another sigh before placing the vial onto the work table and getting to his feet. He took one quick look over his notes again feeling even more drained before shuffling to his room.

The hallways were dark and the view out the windows showed the night illuminated by the twinkle of lights throughout the city. He knew as much as he didn't want to admit it, Tony was right. He needed sleep. The only problem was it seemed his unconscious mind didn't want to agree, greeting his early mornings with nightmares. The only time he felt he could really sleep without problems was after the other guy. Something he was definitely not going to do. So he lay in bed starring at the ceiling as images and sounds from the other guy filled his mind.

 _"Thomas!" the sound was ripped from Natasha's throat and Thomas fell to the floor limp and unmoving the syringe shattering on the floor. Images of Strucker flew past his vision like a flashback. He was on the floor then he was holding him up with one hand and then he flew across the hall and hit the wall with such force it cracked the wall, and now lay on the floor unmoving. Natasha had her finger pressed to Thomas' neck her mouth was moving but he couldn't comprehend the words as anger fuelled him. He didn't protect him. He failed._

 _He carefully picked Thomas up and left the Black Widow to follow as he took off through walls, windows, anything in his way to get out. Together the three of them waited. Natasha tried the lullaby, but he wouldn't do it, afraid it would leave Thomas vulnerable. The last time he did the lullaby he ended up collapsing onto Thomas. He wasn't going to make that mistake again. So he paced, punched walls in and just screamed in frustration until the other arrived._

 _It wasn't until Clint pulled Thomas' shirt off that he saw the marks. His back look like it had been beaten with blades. He almost turned to run afraid he would tear the jet apart through his rage when Thomas turned over and puked on to the floor of the jet. He was alive. For now. It was at this point he accepted Natasha's offer for a lullaby in hopes of being able to help._

 _He had refused to succumb to the weariness afraid if he did, he would wake to find Thomas gone, and so he pushed on working on taking the bullet out of his shoulder and prepping him for the medical wing at the tower. Clint and Natasha both moved to help but he only pushed them aside refusing to let anyone else near him and to his relief, they seemed to get the hint. He was so focused he didn't bother to remember what the other guy saw he just focused on the blood. Stop the bleeding. One task at a time._

 _He didn't know how long pushed through the over whelming desire to sleep, but it wasn't until Thomas had been settled and he was certain that everything was ok. That there was someone with him while he slept, only then did he finally let himself fall into an exhausted, dreamless sleep._

Bruce sighed knowing he wouldn't end up getting any sleep and sat up on his bed deciding a long hot shower might help relax him. He spent most of his time just standing under the water unaware that it was no longer warm. He didn't dare shave, as he was sure he would end up cutting up his face.

He had just stepped out when the AI caused him to jump.

"Dr. Banner, I thought you might want to be the first to know that Thomas' vitals have changed. There are some odd readings as well. I'm sending the diagnostics to your phone."

Bruce had already pulled his clothes on and was halfway out the door before he thought to thank Jarvis. Looking down Bruce couldn't help but feel all the built up stress and worry slip away. He tried not to run down the halls to medical wing eager to see for himself. Based on the data it looked as though Thomas was now conscious with no problems. He was fine. Perfect. They could go back to the way it was before, but even better. He glazed over it so quick he missed the minor bit of information that suggested something else was different.

AN: Sorry this Chapter is a little shorter than the rest, I just like keeping you guys on suspense


	7. Chapter 7

The light was bright and once he opened his eye he noticed the white room. _He had been here before. Or at least he thought he had. Déjà vu maybe?_ The room was not as busy as he remembered it but his movements did bring attention from the other nurses. Slowly he pushed himself up being unable to notice he felt heavier than he did the last time. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks.

"Nice of you to join us Thomas, I am Dr. Cho. I've been looking after you when Dr. Banner wasn't here." She smiled. "Speaking of Dr. Banner…" The woman was young with long black hair and a pale white face. Her smile was kind as she moved to the side revealing Bruce.

Thomas couldn't suppress the grin on his face. If this wasn't proof that he and his family were safe he didn't know what was. Either that or he was dreaming. Thomas went with the former.

"You feeling okay? I was…we were all worried." Bruce leaned down and gave him a hug and he hugged his dad back tight.

"Yeah"

Thomas noticed the large bags under Bruce's eyes signifying the lack of sleep his father had gotten. He knew it was because his dad was worried about him maybe even worry about the other guy. He tightened his grip around his dad.

Bruce helped Thomas to his feet as the rest of the team worked their way into the room. Thomas couldn't help but notice the young woman that greeted him, Dr. Cho, had pulled his dad aside to speak. She showed him something on one of the screens but he only nodded before turning his attention back to the rest of the group, the same warmth was no longer there. Whatever the doctor showed him, had him worried.

Most of day was spent catching up with what he once believed were his uncles. They got everyone involved in a nerf gun war and secretly agreed the winner would have to make dinner. Tony had apparently ordered a large amount of both guns and darts giving everyone a large selection to choose from as well as a large stash of ammunition.

Steve, Thomas and Bruce all selected a form of pistol while Tony picked a light machine gun and pistol. Clint, to no surprise, picked the one the best resembled a bow, while Natasha grabbed a sniper rifle. They had Jarvis keep score for everyone.

Of course Clint won by a landslide, but they did make sure to keep him out of the loop on the last minute rule change.

"No one made this rule. You guys are making this up."

"We all got the memo Barton. Why do you think we let you win?" Natasha couldn't hide her grin.

"There is no way you all LET me win. Come on guys, what happened to playing fair?"

The quick *pop pop* sound had Thomas slide behind Clint as Tony fired two darts his way, missing and hitting Clint instead.

"That's right read it and weep." Tony danced around the room shooting extra darts into the air and unfortunately getting stuck to the ceiling.

"I totally got you Barton. The first person to catch the infamous Hawkeye off guard! HA!"

"Does this mean he wins?" The archer threw his thumb in Tony's direction.

The rest of the team shrugged at Clint's question deeming it fair which only made Tony protest to making dinner.

In the end it was another two rounds later before they finally marked Bruce the winner due to him volunteering. He retreated to the kitchen shaking his head laughing at the idea of the avengers fighting each other to keep from having to make dinner.

While Bruce was busy in the kitchen, Thomas helped everyone else look for the foam nerf darts that were littered around the floor. The room looked like a disaster when they finished their game with tables on their sides, picture frames that had fallen to the floor, many darts were found stuck to the television screen. Even the glass windows that out looked the city was covered in darts, making Thomas laugh at how many shots 'missed' their targets. It took pretty much the same amount of time Bruce used to make spaghetti, to put the room back to the way it was.

The dinner conversation was lively and everyone was involved in a conversation, but Thomas couldn't help peeking glances to his parents who had sat beside each other. Bruce would return glances a few times and Thomas finally felt he understood him now. Things were finally working out and he knew he wouldn't want to go back to his old life. He was far happier being Thomas, the adopted son of the Avengers team, then Thomas Marks.

Thomas felt relieved to finally lay in what was his own bed, though it was really one in the Avenger's tower that Tony insisted he have. He was content with the turn out of the day and was glad to see his family back together. Happy with the world, he fell asleep.

 _He was walking through the halls of the tower again past rooms he hadn't remembered seeing. Nor did he remember how he got there. The hall way was light despite the hour of night. There were pictures of news articles and family like photos along the walls. Following the pre-lit hall Thomas found himself with the labs. Feeling excited he rushed through the already open door wondering what he could play with. He did enjoy science anyway. He stopped surprised to see his dad busy typing away at a screen. It had the diagram of a brain on it, something Thomas didn't think he could help with._

 _Thomas decided to watch his dad work._

 _When Thomas was in grade 9 he, like all other grade nine's, had to go to work with one of his parents. He still remembered the dejected look his father had when he said he would go with his mom. In all honesty, he probably would have been better off with his dad seeing as they both enjoyed science so much. Although he learned that his mother could kick butt and even learned a few self-defence moves as well. However, to be able to watch his dad work now, Thomas felt it was a real pleasure._

 _Whenever Bruce missed a calculation his brow would furrow together displaying his confusion when things didn't add up and if he couldn't focus anymore, his glasses would come off and he would rub his face, tired. It was these subtle things that Thomas enjoyed watching making him smile at the idea this is what he enjoyed doing. Something to keep him focused on something other than the other guy._

 _After sitting for a while, Thomas hopped up and stood behind his dad and looking over his shoulder._

 _R.E.M. Sleep patterns. Thomas shrugged at the thought of his dad looking into the unconscious mind. It only made sense seeing as he had just woken from a coma and being a scientist meant looking for new things to discover. He didn't know much about sleep patterns, but he wouldn't hesitate to learn if he could help his dad. Thomas went to grab his father's shoulder to try to convince him to go to sleep when he saw it._

 _His hand passed right through his father's body._

Thomas awoke with a start staring into the dimly lit room. Blinking a few times he tried thinking back to his dream. _Was he a ghost? A spirit?_ Thomas shook the thought off.

Pulling on clothes he worked his way through the building but couldn't help the eerie feeling of déjà vu again as he went down a few floors. This was the floor with all the labs. He knew he hadn't been here before yet the details of the halls were familiar. _Maybe he saw the future?_ Again Thomas pushed the though aside concluding that just because he a part of the Avenger's family didn't mean he would have superpowers.

He pushed forward slowly almost seemingly afraid of someone finding him down here this early in the morning.

"Is everything alright Thomas?"

Thomas jumped almost knocking a frame off the wall. Looking around he found no one. Not a single person in the hallway other than him. _Maybe he imagined it? So focused on not being caught he tricked himself into thinking there was someone there._ Odd, but not impossible. The brain is capable of many things.

"I did not mean to frighten you Thomas. I am Jarvis, a computerised program to aid Mr. Stark."

Thomas took note the sound was coming from above him. Thinking back, Natasha did tell him Clint liked hiding in the venting systems, so maybe Clint was trying to pull his leg. _I don't think Clint could pull off a British accent that well. Or be up this early._

"Where is my dad?" Thomas couldn't help testing out the technology knowing if it was Tony's this AI could do almost everything.

"He's asleep in his lab, second door on your left."

Following the AI's instructions he found his dad asleep on his work bench. Thomas smiled.

"What else can you do Jarvis?" Thomas couldn't hide his grin. The stuff he could do with this kind of a system.

"It may be better to acquire that information from Mr. Stark."

"I think you and I are going to be getting into a lot of trouble together later on, J."

Thomas ignored the mention of protocols and pushed into the lab to go wake his dad. The two could cook breakfast together, something he had only ever done with his mother. He reached out to shake his dad's shoulder but stopped. _What would he do if his hand passed through him? Surely this wasn't a dream, but he could never tell when he was._ He withdrew his hand.

"Hey. I thought it'd be nice to make breakfast together."

Thomas resisted the urge to reach out and shake him when he didn't respond. Looking around for something he could use, Thomas found it was four a.m. in the morning. "Too early for breakfast" Thomas muttered to himself.

"Hey, Jarvis?" Thomas couldn't help looking toward the ceiling when calling for the AI.

"Yes?"

"Is anyone else awake?"

"Not at this hour. Perhaps there is something I can assist you with."

Thomas took a while to think before his eye rested on the work his father had fallen asleep to. R.E.M sleep cycles.

"There might be something..."

"I'd be happy to help."

Thomas moved to the far side of the lab were he could sit in front of a screen that wasn't in use. "What do you know about R.E.M sleep?"

The screen in front of Thomas lit up with many pages of information. _This was definitely going to be a long morning._


	8. Chapter 8

Thomas thought about the irony of falling asleep reading about sleeping patterns. The world was definitely full of small wonders. He tried reading about Rapid Eye Movement sleep cycles, but the amount of information Jarvis had given him seemed over whelming. _Maybe if I just grab dad's notes._

Thomas was about to get up when he thought of an ever easier idea.

"Hey, Jarvis? Can you send me the notes my dad was working on?"

A quick moment later the screen in front of him moved to the notes his father had taken. He couldn't help but notice his name mentioned a few times. He only breezed over the information getting the message fairly quickly.

 **When sleeping the body has two different stages of sleep, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). While in the NREM stage the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. The heart rate slows and body temperature lowers as well in the NREM stage. The REM stage is the time the brain is more active causing dreams, increased heart rate and breathing.**

However the part that through off Thomas was the next few lines.

 **From Dr. Cho's notes, Thomas was in a REM cycle whilst in his Coma, something that has not occurred before in medical history. Through extensive amount of research the only explanation is that he was already on the road to recovery and it was the first sign of full awareness. This however does not explain the sudden changes in vital signs that have no reasoning for their cause. Further research is needed, possibly with the help of Thomas.**

Thomas sat and reread the notes not being able to full understand what it was trying to convey. There were sudden changes in his vitals that were unexplainable? How did that happen? Thomas concluded he would work with his dad to figure it out, but for now he would push the research on REM cycles for later and focus on food.

Thomas was surprised to find the coffee pot already running with three mugs placed nearby. Who else was up? Thomas' inquiries were answered when Steve and Natasha walked in wearing what looked like running outfits.

"You interested in a morning run?"

Thomas chuckled. "Not if it's with THE Captain America and Black Widow. I would be left in your dust."

"We'd keep to your pace" Steve insisted.

Thomas just shook his head. "Then it wouldn't be much of a workout."

The two left Thomas, Natasha giving him a quick kiss on the head before running to catch up with Steve.

Looking over for the time he found it was around six in the morning and decided he would travel back to the labs and wake up his dad. He only made it the elevator when his dad stepped out.

"You saw my notes, huh?"

Thomas decided not to make a big deal of it knowing by the tone of Bruce's voice he was concerned.

"A bit ironic, don't you think?"

The corner of his lips tilted up. "Yeah"

The under eyes were still purple but it didn't look as bad as it had the day before.

"You want to make breakfast together?"

The smile continued to grow as he nodded and the two of them worked their way to the kitchen.

Thomas hadn't had that much fun in a while. The kitchen was a complete disaster, with pancake batter that had slopped on to the counter and floor, an egg that had managed to find itself on the wall and flour that seemed to have exploded decorating the whole room.

They did manage to make enough for the two of them as well as for Steve and Natasha, whom both took one look at the kitchen and turned and walked away laughing. They all enjoyed the pancakes and each other's company and laughed as they found they were all covered in flour and batter. Steve wandered off while Thomas and his parents cleaned up the kitchen laughing at the extent of the mess. It was the first real moment the three of them really felt like a family.

Another man came to visit with them during the day and once given the name Thomas knew he was important. Nick Fury was the guy that ran SHEILD as far as Thomas was concerned and that was apparently a big deal. He tried to think back to the conversations he had overheard back in high school however none of them ever really mentioned Nick, so everything he learned was new to him.

The unfortunate part of it all was that Nick only took one look at him and insisted they continue their conversation in private. So he was left to himself. Of course, he wasn't just going to let the adults talk without trying to catch part of the conversation.

He thought about asking Jarvis to help, but quickly pushed the thought knowing it would be just as bad as trying to slip into the room unnoticed. The next idea would have Clint and his mom roll their eyes, pressing his ear against the wall in hopes of being able to catch words. Of course luck was not on his side so he ended up crawling his way in to the venting system and shuffle along until he was above them.

"You have been keeping a child under your care for twelve years and never once thought to let me know?" Nick was glaring at Natasha. "You can't just pick up orphaned kids and… So now he obviously knows about all of this." Nick gestured to everyone else in the room. "Do you have ANY idea what could have happened?" He shook his head. "Agent Romanoff, I expected better from you."

"It was my idea." Bruce's voice was so quiet Thomas almost didn't hear.

"Oh, that's just what I wanted to hear," the sarcasm evident in Fury's tone. "Dr. Banner what made you think this was a fantastic idea? I've already had to deal with the mess you left behind with Ross and the Hydra base. A kid? Really? Out of all the things you could do to push your nerves…" Fury continued pacing the room. "And no one else in this room questioned it?" His glare moved to Steve and Clint.

Fury sighed and took a seat. "So this kid..."

"Thomas"

Fury raised an eyebrow at Clint before continuing. "So Thomas, you all are positive won't say a word to anyone?"

"Nah, he took multiple lashings to keep us safe once already. I think we're good." Stark meet Thomas' eyes through the vent in the ceiling before turning back to Fury. Thomas had been caught.

"Excuse me?"

Thomas noted all the uncomfortable looks on the faces of everyone but Tony and Nick. It now became apparent that SHEILD knew nothing about him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you not given those details either? So you come barging in here about taking in Thomas, yet didn't read all you're notes beforehand? Must have missed your homework Nick."

"Tony, now may not be the best time…"

"Really, Bruce? We've all agreed to have his back when this day would come, and we knew it would so why? Why is everyone so quiet all of a sudden?"

Fury's eye moved over the rest of the Avengers waiting.

"We took him in and told him that we, Dr. Banner and I, were his adoptive parents." Natasha looked uncomfortable which made Thomas nervous.

"His parents died when he was six and it was on the fault of the team. We could have saved them. We should have."

"It was a complicated scenario. We were there to protect the people, but they seemed more willing to let God do his work." Steve continued when Natasha fell quiet.

"I wasn't going to let them take their child with them; it didn't seem fair a life so young taken due to spite of his own parents. He was too young to understand what was going on and…" Natasha paused for a long time. Her gaze distant like she was trying to relive the memory. "I took the child as Steve argued with the parents and I hid him away until it was safe."

"And you told the boy the truth?"

Natasha's eyes locked with Fury's as she shook her head. "How could we? Tell him his parents didn't care if he lived or died?" She looked away. "What matters now is he's safe and he's family. We weren't going to tell him about us, the real us. We changed our minds after…" She stopped and looked at Bruce.

"We figured he was going to find out eventually and made a trip to show him why he grew up the way he did. Although it was probably mainly for my own comfort." Bruce took his glasses out of his pocket as they now held his attention. "He would have found out about the other guy eventually and I would have felt better having someone there to look after him when he did."

"So this boy has no clue about his past? You told him nothing about being avengers until all of a sudden he watched you turn all green?" Fury seemed sceptical, but Thomas almost didn't care. _His parents were just going to let him die? Would he have been happier that way?_ Thomas never thought his parents were the bad guys.

"So that only explains the mess with Ross. Don't tell me that Hydra base involved this kid, too." Fury leaned back and threw his feet up onto the table.

Thomas slowly scurried out of the vent system and fall to a sit on the floor. He didn't need to hear about what happened in the Hydra base. His whole life had been a lie. He wouldn't be here if Natasha hadn't stepped in.

Determined he needed air Thomas moved to the elevator and pushed the button to the bottom floor. His breaths became more rapid the more he thought about it as the elevator took a painfully long time to reach the ground floor.

"I'm out for a run, J" and Thomas fled from the tower wanting to forget the last ten minutes.

It wasn't until he had walked three blocks that Thomas realised this was the first time he had been outside since discovering his family secret.

He had never been to New York that he could remember so it was no surprise he found himself lost walking the busy streets. Of course he could try to look for the tower it surely stands out, however there are a lot of other tall towers making it difficult to spot the one specific one he was looking for.

Thomas walked the streets until his feet hurt where he found himself sitting on a bench near a large park. He sat and watched the people go secretly wondering what it each person's life was like. Did that man in a business suit whom was walking quickly, phone seeming glued to his ear, have a family? Maybe he was a single dad? Or the lady feeding the birds by the pond, did she recently lose someone she loved? It's odd how people make assumptions and accusations based on little things they see or don't see.

Thomas sat and people watched for a long while as his mind processed the recent events, the odd dreams and regenerative healing factors. He noticed that was left off the file he read, but he knew it was there. The scars on his back and shoulder that should have been there were not. So what else was wrong with him?

The sun was setting when Thomas finally made it back to the Tower. He wasn't surprised to find out Director Fury had left and nor was he surprised that no one mentioned what happened in that conference they had without him. He did however notice the concerned looks he kept getting from Tony. The only one that knew he too had sat in on that conference.

 **AN: If there is anything you guys want me to add let me know and I'll try to add it in for you. I'm all about trying to keep my readers happy :)**


	9. Chapter 9

_This was a perfect opportunity for the couple. It would all look like a tragic accident and they would no longer have to worry about their mistake. Natalie grabbed the wall to her left to keep from falling over as the building shook again._

 _"_ _Ben! We have to go!" She called through the apartment._

 _Her husband appeared from the hall with their child in his hands. "We can't just leave him…"_

 _"_ _Yes we can and we are. We can't keep him, not now that we have monsters and magic happening right outside our door, Ben."_

 _"_ _We can just send him back to adoption center."_

 _"_ _How do we know these things aren't looking for him?" Natalie pushed strand of her black hair behind her ear._

 _A loud growl had the two turning toward the window as a large green being moved past._

 _"_ _Maybe we are over thinking this Nat…"_

 _"_ _How did he possibly know my sister died? We made sure not to mention it until long after he had gone to bed. He was out like a light. How did he find out?"_

 _Ben stayed quiet as the building shook again._

 _Natalie nodded at her husband and the two made it for the stairs, the child still in Ben's arms. Natasha followed them letting the Cap know he may need to escort the family out. They made it to the second floor when the building shook again, pieces of ceiling and wall falling around them. When the dust cleared a Chitari alien stood in the doorway, blocking their escape. The widow pulled her pistol out ready to shoot as the Cap snuck up on it from the other side. They both stopped disgusted by the sight in front of them._

 _"_ _Take the child! This is what you wanted, take him and leave us be! We meant your people no harm. We understand now. He is one of you." Ben held the now screaming child toward the alien._

 _The body hit the floor before anyone else could move. Natasha was breathing hard thinking about what would have happened if she wasn't here. When the couple looked to where the bullet was fired from she did what she did best, disappear into the shadows, hidden and unseen. Captain America quickly tried to usher the people out of the building, it wasn't going to be standing much longer. Ben put the child down and before Natasha thought about what she was doing she took the kid and ran._

 _She rushed down the street past buildings and flipped cars. Past screaming people and even some of her team mates._

 _"_ _Uh Nat what are you doing?" Clint being the first to notice was no surprise._

 _"_ _Just watch my back!" She continued, surprised the child remained silent._

 _She pushed on until she found a little flower shop where she moved to the back of the store and sat down taking a second to catch her breath. "I am going to come right back, but you have to stay here okay, big guy?" She inwardly smiled at the thought knowing 'big guy' was what she called the Hulk._

 _The little boy nodded a smile on his face. "We play hide and seek?"_

 _Taking a fraction of a second to think she smiled at the boy and nodded. "Yes and you can hide first. Don't come out until I give up. Ready?"_

 _The little boy nodded enthusiastically and Natasha turned her back and counted down from ten than darted back into the battle happy she did the right thing._

 _She never got to know her parents but she couldn't help but feel that maybe her parents had done the same thing when she was taken for the Black Widow project. She shook the thought off and found Steve where the two continued taking out the Chitari._

 _"_ _So you took the kid, now you want to keep it?" Clint gave Natasha a look that asked if she really knew what she was getting into._

 _"_ _I just think we give him a chance to grow up in a good family." She had the little boy sitting on her lap who was busy laughing at the silly faces Tony was making._

 _"_ _Director Fury is not going to be happy about this." Steve almost looked sympathetic, knowing why Natasha was doing this._

 _"_ _He doesn't have to know." Her voice quiet as her gaze moved down to the happy boy in her lap._

 _The room remained quiet other than the giggling from the boy as the Avengers, minus Bruce, took in the situation._

 _"_ _Well I can get you a place nearby if that's what you're thinking." Tony was now ready to talk business. "Of course I expect to be the favourite Uncle."_

 _"_ _Uncle?" Steve taking a few second to understand what Tony was hinting at._

 _"_ _We can be his family, although he still needs a dad…" Tony moved his gaze towards the archer._

 _"_ _He can't know about us, not the Avenging part at least." Natasha seemed to be talking more to herself but the rest of the room nodded in agreement._

 _"_ _So now that we have that settled, who wants to play the daddy role?"_

 _The room was quiet until the sound of the door being pushed open drew the teams' attention._

 _"_ _So what did I miss?" Bruce was rolling his sleeves up as we walked in then stopped after finding he had all eyes on him. The giggling had Bruce move his gaze to the child in Natasha's lap and his face drained of colour._

 _"_ _I think we have our volunteer." Tony stood and clapped his hands together determined now that he had announced it out loud, it was agreed._

 _Bruce knew the look on Tony's face and shook his head. "No. No, whatever you have planned, no. I am having no part of this." He held his hands up in surrender._

 _Clint opened his mouth but Natasha cut him off with a glare. She knew he couldn't play the role of dad as he already had that role with his own kids. Tony was out of the question. There was no way the two could get along well enough to be make believable parents. She knew it was down to Steve and Bruce._

 _"_ _Come on, we could be volunteering you for a large sum of money." Tony couldn't hide his grin._

 _"_ _Something I wouldn't want, especially from you. With you there's always a catch…"_

 _"_ _Ouch, I'm hurt. When have I ever lead you astray Bruce?"_

 _Natasha's eyebrows raised as she herself could think up ten easily._

 _"_ _Don't answer that. All I'm saying is we are giving you a great opportunity. You…" He pointed to Bruce slowly walking toward him. "…Can be a dad!"_

 _Bruce laughed, but stopped when he realised no one else seemed to join him. "You're kidding right? No. Are you nuts?"_

 _"_ _Hey you'd be great! Just think about all the amazing birthday parties you can give? You just show up to parties all big and green and boom, best birthday ever."_

 _Bruce stood there with his mouth hanging open. He turned to Natasha for help but it seemed even she was in on the idea. "Do I really need to explain why this is the absolute worse idea any of you have ever suggested? A kid?" His hand moved to push his hair back._

 _"_ _Steve" He pointed. "Or even Clint. They'd do great. I…no I am absolutely not an option. The other guy…"_

 _Natasha could almost see the panic radiating from Bruce as he stumbled over every reason he could think of to prove what a terrible idea it was. She smiled. If she could pick, Bruce would definitely be her first choice. Sure Clint would have been the best choice seeing as he already has experience with kids, but he has Laura. Steve could have worked well too, but something made her believe he wouldn't be as understanding._

 _Bruce was the one for the job; she only had to find the right incentive…_

 _It took the group about three weeks to convince Bruce to at least try it for a week, where Natasha was happy to say little Thomas was successful in hooking Bruce into the role. Of course every once in a while he pulled her aside and asked if it was really a good idea, but as time went on it became less and less. Of course she would never let anyone know, sometimes she hardly let her self believe it, that as the years progressed she fell into the role of a loving parent easier then she wished to admit. She would never use the word love but feelings deemed more appropriate. Those thoughts stayed deep in the back of her mind where they were locked away. It was something neither her nor Bruce were ready for._

Natasha opened her eyes to the dark room around her. She made sure the rest of the team knew about what had happened that day. Steve gave her crap later about lying to the director about her story, but she knew Thomas was listening in. Tony kept giving the vent in the ceiling a cautious glance which totally gave it away. Thankfully Fury was too distracted to take notice.

Looking at the time Natasha slide out of bed and threw on some clothes and headed to the gym. Her mind was too busy and was determined that beating a punching bag would help clear her thoughts. Thomas didn't need to know what happened that day. His parents were wrong. There was nothing wrong with Thomas.

 **AN: So I have the next chapter already written I just want to see what you guys have in mind. Not sure how I feel about it so I'm holding back. As mentioned before, feel free to let me know if there is something you guys want added! Shout out to Cass. She asked for more of Thomas' back story, hopefully this satisfies those inquiries!**


	10. Chapter 10

Thomas helped his dad work on his current project, although he never told him what his true intentions were. Thomas was determined he could figure out more about his odd dreams through the research, but he couldn't tell Bruce. To be honest Thomas wasn't even sure himself if it was something worth worrying about. On his own time he would look it up online and made sure he had Jarvis delete all his research in case anyone went looking later on. His research however went nowhere.

Thomas yawned unaware he and his dad had been working well into the evening.

"So if we put this on you, for example, I should be able to see what you see when in your sleep." Bruce was fixated on the screen in front of him.

Thomas was glad his dad hadn't turned around as he was sure he flinched. If his dad saw what was going on than he would surely end up getting more attention than he wished.

"Umm…wouldn't that be considered an invasion of privacy?" Thomas hoped he sounded more curious than afraid.

"Not if you volunteer for it…"

"And you're not going to volunteer for it?"

Bruce turned to face him now. "I can't"

The words seemed so simple yet to Thomas he was almost sure there was more meaning behind them than Bruce let on. He waited for Bruce to continue and after what seemed like a long amount of time he was starting to think he wasn't going to.

"The only time I sleep well is after the big guy..." His voice betraying his sadness.

Before Thomas could stop himself he volunteered himself and as soon as the words left his mouth he wished he could take them back. Surely his dad sleeps sometime; the human body can't survive without sleep. Even if he only slept for two hours, it was enough to at least test his theory.

"I'm not going to force you to do it if it makes you uncomfortable, Thomas. I just know it'll be more difficult to get results if it was left up to me." He looked away. "I don't think anyone would want to see what I go through at night anyways." His voice so soft Thomas knew he wasn't meant to hear it.

"What would happen, hypothetically speaking, if my dreams were actually reality?" Thomas had considered the possibility, but pushed it aside because it was not something that should be possible. Of course, surviving an explosion with the amount of gamma radiation Bruce endured shouldn't have been possible either.

Bruce turned back to him slowly like his was considering Thomas' words carefully. "Out of curiosity I'm sure, but what sparked the curiosity?"

Thomas pressed his lips together and turned away knowing he wouldn't be able to lie to his dad's face, not convincingly at least. "I saw something online about it. That and the idea of seeing the future."

"I don't think that will be a concern." Although Bruce knew Thomas had more on that topic but decided to keep it to himself. "However, if you want, we can talk about it later?"

Thomas was almost certain if he couldn't hide his odd dreams well enough that would change from 'can talk about it' to "WILL talk about it'. Thomas sighed. He figured it would happen eventually, he was almost certain it had happened before; through when it came to his past family he couldn't remember much.

"How about this…" Bruce could tell the thought of someone seeing what he saw at night was both physically and mentally stressing Thomas out. Something he could relate to. "…I go first and if things go okay… you can uh…go after…"

Thomas considered this. Of course he would probably end up spending more time in the chair than his dad would, but he knew this was the best Bruce could offer. Bruce didn't want to go at all, so for him to offer going up first and allowing Thomas to witness what he knew where his nightmares, was a big thing.

A small smile tugged on Thomas' lips as he turned to nod at his dad. Together they both had secrets that would finally be opened to each other.

Thomas sat and stared at the black screen for about two hours before it lit up with a scene. He spent most of that time going over the instructions Bruce had given him about and watching the opposite screen with the state of his mind as it slowly slipped into the rapid eye movement phase.

The scene started out normal. Bruce was in a busy place, people milling about to their own business. He could tell however, that it was nowhere Thomas could recognise. The signs above the stores where in a different language and the buildings where all squished together.

"Jarvis, where is this place?" Thomas knew the unconscious mind could make up places that didn't exist however he felt this was somewhere his dad had been at one point. All the stores had minute details the mind surely didn't think was important however they variety of patterns and colours of fabric were clear in the stalls. The texture of the breads and fruits were in such great detail Thomas felt he could simply reach through the screen and grab them. Even the stones of the brick street seemed to have more detail than he would have given thought to. Thomas knew this was probably not just a dream but a part of his life that haunted Bruce for a long while.

Thomas felt almost guilty now, watching something his dad obviously wished to forget. It almost felt like he was protruding his dads mind. Of course the guilt turned into fear as he realised that he was next in line.

"Based on the landscape and Dr. Banners files I would have to say Brazil."

Thomas had never been to Brazil, nor had Bruce, yet he was apparently wrong. Then of course there was the question on his dad having a file. _A file of what? Did the rest of his family have files too? Did he have a file?_ He shook the thought off and watched the screen.

Bruce was running through the busy streets and hidden alley ways checking his back every once and a while. Then there was the importance of the watch that kept getting screen time as well. The pursuit continued for a while and Thomas was starting to notice the numbers on the watch were relevant to heart beats per minute. He watched intently as he Bruce was now cornered. He waited to see what would happen next and even took in the details of the faces of those that had cornered him. Of course Thomas knew none of the people but he tried to memorize their faces anyway. The watch took the screen again and the number 189 moved up to 192 than the screen went black.

Thomas freaked out for a second thinking he had done something wrong or maybe missed a step up but upon looking at the screen behind him he found that the rapid eye movement phase had moved. He had to wait for the cycle to repeat.

Thomas sat back and waited what he knew would be any time between 15-30 minutes before the dream would continue. He also hoped he would be able to see what kept his dad up most of the night. He thought about reading the files that had been mentioned earlier however Jarvis mentioned that the only person with access to them was Tony, of course. However Jarvis did mention that if he asked, Tony may grant him access to them.

The screen lite up again however, Brazil was no longer the location. With the buildings tall and evenly spaced out and busy streets, Thomas knew it was a city. Being able to read the street signs helped him pin point the location to somewhere in the USA.

There was a girl with fair white skin and long dark brown hair and warm blue eyes, one Thomas, again, didn't know. The screen flashed seemingly telling the story, the once detailed scenes now only fuzzy pictures that lasted a few seconds before the next. A pair of large green hands than the girl lying on the floor, eyes closed, limbs bent in different angles. The scene changed again before Thomas could determine if the girl was still alive. Thomas froze when the scene moved to a picture of him and Natasha lying on the floor the same way the other girl was the green blob in the corner, undoubtedly hands. He could tell they were both dead before the screen went black again. Thomas didn't need to turn to know Bruce was out of his subconscious.

Looking over at Bruce, Thomas couldn't help but notice the sheen of sweat that plastered his hair down and the fact they made eye contact for a brief second before he avoided contact all together. Thomas tried to find some words of comfort, but they all died in his throat. He knew Bruce was afraid of hurting people while the other guy was out to play, but he never knew it was what kept him up at night. Thomas similarly knew the other guy wouldn't hurt him or Natasha, but Bruce obviously thought differently.

The room became uncomfortably silent as time ticked on. Bruce silently left and returned with a cup of tea than moved to the chair Thomas had evicted by the screens. Thomas sat on the make shift bed watching as he kicked his feet back and forth.

"I'm sure you'll forget all about it after seeing the shit I think up." Thomas leaned back and flopped onto the bed. "Sometimes I wake up terrified, too yet all I see is just…" _Whatever happens to be going on when I'm asleep._ Obviously he couldn't say that, no matter how much he wished he could. The only way he could get someone to believe him was if they saw it for themselves. Thomas shot a nervous glance at Bruce before he lay looking at the ceiling.

It took Thomas a long time to be able to get to sleep. It wasn't because he wasn't tired, he truly was seeing as he had been up for 17 hours before they even put Bruce in. He was afraid of what he and in turn, Bruce would see. He didn't know what pulled him out or if he could actually interact with people. He only really tried once. Slowly reality slipped away and he found himself in the living room of the Avengers tower.

Once getting a good look around Thomas wished he had gone first. It was early enough in the morning where there were people actually up. Steve sat in one of the chairs watching an old cowboy movie with a bowl of fruits and nuts sitting in the seat beside him. He reached into the bowl his eyes never leaving the screen. From where he stood, Thomas could probably slip from the room unnoticed, well he would be unnoticed regardless, however he hoped he could get through this without Bruce catching on he was not actually visible. Or maybe Bruce wouldn't. It took Thomas a long time to finally realize what he was seeing was actually reality.

Quietly Thomas slipped into the kitchen where he found Clint and Natasha sitting enjoying their breakfast together.

"…last I saw him, he was with Bruce working late doing research on something about sleep." Natasha took another spoonful of her yogurt and oats.

Clint chuckled. "Poor guy must be tired out of his mind…"

Thomas quickly fled from the room silently cursing himself. He knew the two assassins would have been quiet if Thomas was actually there. They also would have noticed his presence no matter how quiet he had been. So much for being subtle. Thomas silently hoped his dad hadn't noticed his flaw.

He moved through the halls hoping to keep out of sight of anyone. He passed by mirrors in which when he looked, he couldn`t see himself. He was doing fine almost sure he was safe if he stayed in the empty halls by the lab when the door behind him opened. He froze. The labs were where Bruce was. _What an idiot! Obviously Bruce would come looking as he probably knew the hallway better than anyone._ He turned very slowly on his heels, his eyes pressed closed. Maybe if he was lucky, Bruce would think he moved to the next stage of his sleep cycle. _Just stay in the lab please. Don't go looking for me._

"Thomas?"

 _Of, course he couldn`t see the screen, he was at the door not the desk_. His eyes opened to see Bruce standing in the middle of the hall looking down the hallway. He was see through, but it didn't help Thomas' nerves at all. Why hadn't he wakened? When Tony was close to seeing him, he was woken.

"You're here aren't you? If I bring the screen here I'll see myself standing here right?"

Of course Bruce would have figured it out. He wouldn't be a genius if he hadn`t, it just complicated things now. Of course he could deny it, seeing as Bruce didn't have the screen. He couldn't interact with anything as far as he knew so maybe lying about it wasn't a bad idea.

Thomas moved past his dad back into the lab and looked at the screen. His heart sank. On the next screen over Bruce had Jarvis open the camera footage of the rooms Thomas had just fled from. Bruce caught on a lot faster than he thought. His hand fell into his hands. _How do you explain something like this? How long had this been a problem?_ He tapped the screen and to his amazement the screen went black. _Why can I interact with the screen?_ It didn't matter, if he could shut it off…

"Go ahead. I have it all recorded."

Thomas found Bruce standing behind him, his eyes, unknowingly on Thomas'.

"Why didn't you say anything before hand?" He momentarily waved his hand in dismissal realizing Thomas couldn't respond. "You did, I just didn't catch on." He pushed his hand through his hair.

Thomas looked over to where his body lay. An eerie sight as it didn't even move to breath. He moved from the seat and set the screen back up so Bruce could see what he planned next. _Might as well test the limits of this experience_. He tried to push the mug of tea onto the floor where he watched his hand pass right through, exactly as he expected it to. This way he may not be bombarded with so many questions. He could give answers by showing Bruce what he already knew.

The next question to answer, his shadow. Thomas moved to one of the glass walls that out looked the city. The sun was low in the sky making the view hurtful on the eyes as the neighbouring buildings reflected the light in. Thomas however had no effect, probably because he didn't have eyes right now. Slowly he pushed his hand toward the glass. Just before it touched everything went black.

Thomas was surprised to see when he opened his eyes Bruce wasn't lingering around him ready to ask questions. Instead he sat with his eyes focused on the screens. _Re-watching the footage maybe?_ Pushing himself up to a sitting position finally got the attention from Bruce.

Thomas opened his mouth to say something but Bruce beat him to it.

"We are going to be having a long talk about this. I am going to want details."

Thomas let his head fall forward, his chin resting on his chest. He knew it was coming, he had just hoped he could have pushed it off a little longer.

"Where do I start?"

 **AN: So now the secret is out! As always if there is something you are interested in let me know and I'd be happy to try and write about it. Just keep in mind it may be a few chapters from now as I have a good idea on where I'm leading this right now. :D**


	11. Chapter 11

_Previously: "We are going to be having a long talk about this. I am going to want details."_

 _Thomas let his head fall forward, his chin resting on his chest. He knew it was coming, he had just hoped he could have pushed it off a little longer._

 _"_ _Where do I start?"_

"The beginning is usually a good place to start, however I get the feeling this is not something you want to discuss in great length."

Thomas shook his head. At least his dad was observant.

"How long have you been able to do this?"

"As long as I can remember, but not as well as I have been recently." Thomas though about that, it really didn't make a big impact until after the whole problem with Strucker. _Was this something Strucker had done?_ He pushed the thought aside for now as he focused on answering his dad's questions, the sooner it was over with the better.

"How often does it happen? Do you have control over it?"

Thomas sighed. He should have known those questions would come up. "It happens more often than I care to admit."

"So you don't have control over it." Bruce turned away scratching the back of his neck.

It wasn't a question but Thomas responded as it was anyway. "Yeah"

"And no one can see you?" Bruce's attention moved back to the screen, no doubt watching the footage again.

"Tony saw my shadow once…"

"Tony?" Bruce sat in thought. _Didn't Tony mention something to him about shadows? How long ago was that?_ He moved back to the screens in hopes of finding a shadow, but to no avail. "And you just get yanked back like that every time?"

Tomas nodded. "I didn't know I could interact with the screen though. I haven't been able to do anything but watch and listen."

"That I can explain." Bruce slid his hand across the screen and opened up a new page. "People believe that ghosts and spirits are the electromagnetic entities of people and seeing as touch screens work by using some of the electric currents in human body…" He shrugged. "…it makes sense that you can interact with them."

"So I can spend my nights playing computer games?"

Bruce shot a glare over at Thomas. "Not exactly what I was hinting at but, yes that is the concept."

Thomas finally hopped off the bed and moved to see the Bruce was looking at. Wikipedia was defiantly on the list of things he hadn't expected to see.

"Astral Projection?"

"It's the closest thing what you're going through. You can't interact with things and are invisible to people around you. I don't think you can project at will and I really don't think you can take over people's bodies…"

"Other peoples' bodies?! That's a thing?"

Bruce raised an eyebrow at Thomas. "You know…Wikipedia is not the best source of information…"

Thomas smiled. "Now you sound like all my teachers. It's used for referencing and not research, right?"

Bruce ignored Thomas' comment and continued, "Regardless, there are bound to be other aspects that aren't written so that means we will be doing lots…"

"…Of research." Thomas fell to a sit in one of the chairs nearby. "The exact thing I was hoping against."

Bruce gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sure we can agree on some sort of schedule whether it be thrice a week of something."

Thomas nodded although he would have been happy if it just ended here.

"And I won't let anyone else know about this. I know you didn't want me to find out."

Thomas felt a little guilty. Yes he didn't want anyone to know, but when it was said out loud, it sounded bad. Maybe it would be better now that his dad knew. It could possibly bring them together; give them something to bond over.

"I'll finish up here you can go get breakfast…or sleep. Whichever seems more important. We can talk later."

Thomas opened his mouth to mention that Tony was no doubt going to be looking into all this, but closed it knowing the one person that knew Tony would be Bruce. So Thomas left and headed to the kitchen.

Natasha and Clint had moved on to the adjacent room to join Steve and his cowboy movie, leaving the kitchen empty. Thomas had just finished pouring himself a bowl of cereal when Bruce walked in. He gave Thomas a curt nod and moved into the room with the others, leaving Thomas alone again.

Thomas took to the streets not long after he had finished his breakfast. One of the things he enjoyed about having the family he did, he could finally feel like the cool kids in high school had. Nice designer clothes and walking the streets like no one else mattered. It only lasted about two blocks before Thomas found out it was nothing more than an act. If anything, the designer clothes were less warm then the ones he was used to. Maybe the autumn weather had its part too.

He spent most of his time just walking the streets watching people go about their business. The simplicity of normalcy was something Thomas missed. All the people around him never had to worry about roaming in a spirit form or had to watch for their fathers temper. They didn't need to know about secret organisations or to always have to watch their back for some age old enemy to return. Thomas enjoyed walking the streets and blending into the civilian population. It made him feel like he wasn`t different from everyone else, just another person about his business. After what he had been through this morning he could say he almost envied those that walked past him. He did love his family, there was no doubt about that, but he knew he wasn't normal. Sometimes that was pretty cool, other times…

He sat down on a park bench and watched people walk by oblivious to the colours of the autumn leaves in the trees. The sight was even nicer as the sun was setting and the orange and pink colours were reflected in the pond. There were a few other couples that sat and watched the sun set, though none were his age. It was something kids his age never really cared for and if he was honest with himself, he wouldn't have cared if he was still Tomas Marks.

The thought had Thomas thinking about university. He surely would end up going if not because Bruce and Natasha wanted him to, but because it would help him feel normal for a bit. That's what all his family did wasn't it? Go to school than get a job? Maybe they didn't.

Thomas pushed himself to his feet and started on his way home. The walk home was far less exciting as the streets were almost deserted due to the lateness of the hour, the streetlights on and shadows of things moving out of eye sight. Thomas was about half way home when he stopped. He could go through the alley, it was definitely a shortcut. He followed the side walk for a few more steps before he sighed and gave in. He just about made it to the other side when a figure stepped in front of him.

"Don't move…o..or I'll sh..shoot"

Thomas almost felt bad for the guy. He was tall but not built for a life on the street. He probably wouldn't last the winter. Thomas went along and put his hands up in surrender.

"I want your jacket, wallet, and phone."

Thomas smirked however he was sure the boy wouldn`t have seen in the darkness. He didn`t have a phone or his wallet. Although his shoes had some value to them, but he needed them, his jacket he could make it home without. Thomas slipped his Jacket off and tossed it toward the kid.

"It's all yours, kid"

The boy reached for the jacket but kept the gun pointed at him.

"The phone and wallet?"

"I don't have them on me."

Another figure joined the boy his age however this man was in his forties at least.

"No kid with this kind of jacket, just doesn't own a phone. Doesn't your mommy want to keep tabs on you?" The older man took the gun from the boy and pushed him aside.

Thomas turned to see two other shadows blocking the way he had come in. The light nature he had now slipping away. This may not end as well as he hoped it would.

"Now I'm not going to ask nicely again, phone and wallet..." He looked down and Thomas closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. "…and the shoes."

"Look man you can pat me down, I don't own a phone and my wallet is at home. The shoes…" Thomas looked down and sighed before crouching down to take them off and tossed them toward the man. Before he was standing there was a loud bang and everything went black.

Tony-

If Pepper knew he was still up, she would no doubt end up lecturing him about the importance of sleep, however he knew Bruce was up to something in the lab this morning he just couldn't seem to find it. Whenever he got close he would get error 801, something Jarvis would call The Guest's Privacy Protocol. So now everyone in the building had a special private channel that he specifically could not access.

He stayed near the lower floors in hopes of not waking anyone. He grabbed the tablet off one of the desks and continued walking still trying to find a way to break past error 801. Looking up he found himself by the main entrance of the tower. He didn't remember how he got down there but he merely shrugged and carried on. When he looked down at the screen again, he stopped. The screen he was on was no longer there, instead a version of notepad was up and words were being typed.

"Jarvis… who's hacking the system?"

"There is no indication of anyone in the system, sir. Everyone in the building is currently asleep."

He read over the note.

 ** _I need Bruce._**

Tony turned to look for anyone around him, but the entrance hall was empty. When he looked down again the message was being erased.

 ** _Please_**

Tony moved the screen aside and continued moving through the hall and back to hacking through error 801. The screen closed again and re-opened the note page.

 ** _Tony, if you cooperate I'll explain._**

Tony turned. "Okay whoever you are…." He turned around again. "…this isn't funny."

 ** _not being funny tony this serious. need bruce._**

Tony watched as the screen took off like it had a mind of its own, opening screens and files, where it set off an alarm in Bruce's room.

"What are you doing?!" Tony quickly shut the screen down, but he knew Bruce well enough to know he would be awake. It was a few moments later that his screen lit up with a very tired looking Bruce.

"Can I assume the wakeup call was for something important?"

Tony tried not to show his annoyance. "The system has been a bit out of sorts. It's doing things on its own… random messages"

Bruce nodded than almost as a second thought his eyes lit up. "He's in trouble."

"He? Who's he?"

"I'm on my way down…"

Before Tony could argue the screen went blank and the notepad opened up again.

 ** _Cooperate Tony…_**

"Jarvis?! Fix this thing I swear it's broken, possessed, something I just don't know what's wrong with this."

Bruce quickly breezed into the room almost out of breath. "What did he say?"

Tony gave Bruce a skeptical look. "This is because of you?" he gestured to the tablet.

Bruce quickly took the tablet from his hands before he could argue then after what he assumed was reading the notes it was thrust back into his hands and he fled.

Tony stood there for a long while after Bruce took one of his cars and drove off into the night. He looked back at the screen to find it was blank. He quickly opened the screen in hopes of finding what had Bruce leave in hast. _Why was he calling it 'he'?_

 ** _Please stay out_**

Tony tossed the tablet onto the table and walked off. He needed a different screen or computer, something else to throw the hacker off. He quickly moved through the halls up toward the labs, all the way tasking Jarvis to lock down every computer, tablet, and screen with finger identification. He fell into a seat and turned on the one screen in front of him. He was determined now to figure out what was going on.

Tony sat busy typing away at the screens slowly getting closer to figuring out the message Bruce had received. He smirked. The hacker hadn't made an appearance since he changed the security. He opened the page and caught the word body before it was shut down and the screen left him another message.

 **** ** _you stop looking I'll tell you what going on._**

Tony shook his head. _How do you trust a computer screen?_

 ** _about Thomas…_**

Tony froze. This thing knew Thomas? The only person outside of the Avengers that knew about him was Fury. Tony typed back asking where Bruce went. The response told him to just ask questions out loud as it would be faster, then said it would only answer the question if he promised to stay out of it. Tony didn't like being in this kind of situation, but if it was Thomas and now Bruce on the line, he didn't see he had much of a choice.

"Fine."

 ** _Bruce went to go get body. I'm making sure you don't interfere._**

"Body?" Tony tried not to flinch. An anonymous person knew to get a hold of Bruce to let him know they found Thomas' body? This was not a good thing.

 **** ** _going to help Bruce. Stay out of trouble. I mean it._**

The rest of the night was quiet. Tony even tried calling on the mysterious individual but to no avail and he didn't dare try finding out. If this person could hack into his system he was surely capable of other things, he was unfortunately going to have to talk to Fury about it.

Thomas-

Thomas was lucky to have projected straight to the Avengers tower however it made the journey back to his body a difficult one. He could have joined Bruce for the car ride, but he knew Tony would medal so he stayed behind to prevent that, a difficult task in its self. Silently he wished Bruce had kept the touch screen tablet so he could continue conversing with Bruce, but he'd have to make do without it.

He turned another corner where he heard the sirens. _Please don't be police or any emergency vehicle. Bruce wouldn't be able to take the body if they got there first._ Thomas pushed himself faster, feeling glad he had no problems running the 5 miles at full speed because he had unlimited stamina. He turned the next corner when his essence stopped like it hit a wall and a shock echoed through his system. That was not good. He pushed on again glad the alley was the next turn. He didn't give the emergency vehicles a second glace as he turned into the alley and saw that paramedics were ready to shock his body again. Out of the spur of the moment he screamed at them to stop and to his surprise they did.

It wasn't until he turned around that he found Bruce standing behind him.

"I'm a doctor. I will take the patient to my home and work with him there it is far closer than the hospital."

Of course the paramedics challenged it but surprisingly gave Bruce clearance to take the body. He pulled his phone out and it took a second for Thomas to click in that it was so he could speak.

Thomas did his best to describe the two individuals that had held him at gun point. He also told Bruce that Tony would probably end up freaked out when they got back and shortly after that the two were in the car. Most of the way there Bruce was mentioning that he should be more careful, but the closer they got to their destination the more blurry the world was around him. There was a dull throb in the back of his head and all of a sudden there was a sharp pain in his chest and he screamed out.

It took Thomas a second to realise he was in his body again, the biggest clue being the fact Bruce nearly drove off the road when he had screamed out.

Thomas wasn't surprised Tony had the medical center all set for when he returned. Thomas looked at the clock on the dash board. He was shot and hour and five minutes ago. He held that number close to him. Most people become brain dead after 2 minutes he lasted an hour before his body pulled him back.

In lots of pain and exhausted he closed his eyes and let himself fall into the darkness.

 **AN: As always, Ideas and comments are welcome. let me know your thoughts. Hopefully I can keep this going...**


	12. Chapter 12

He woke several times never sure if he truly was awake. He would only remember the sounds of people yelling and rushing around quickly for a few seconds accompanied with a large pain in his chest before he would slip out again. To his surprise, he wasn't out wandering in spirit either or at least not that he could tell.

He woke up on his stomach this time, the sound of people rushing still all around him and voices yelling but no sound of a heart monitor. His thoughts were drawn away when the voice of his dad could be picked out.

"I need time with him alone."

"If he flat lines again we can't…"

"I will look after it."

The sound of a door slamming and it was quiet. Thomas tried to roll over but a hand stopped him.

"You can't roll over or you'll end up bleeding all over the floor."

"Dad?" Thomas already knew it was but he wanted the confirmation. Things had been far from normal when they got back, maybe he could shine some light on what was going on.

"Yes, it's me. If you could at least try to steady that projecting thing…"

Thomas didn't need his eyes open to know Bruce had his hand pressing his hair back in frustration.

"...You're making it really difficult to keep alive Thomas, if you're here you bleed all over the place and when you're not the nurses think you're dead."

"I haven't gone anywhere."

The silence meant Bruce was thinking. Or so Thomas hoped.

"Just try to stay awake. We have the front stitched up and we just need to finish the back. If we can get that done we'll be in the clear, the others can leave."

Thomas tried to nod but it caused the room to spin.

Thomas lay there and tried everything to stay awake. He tried listening to the conversations, trace where people were going, he even tried counting the stitches as they were being put in but eventually he couldn't help but succumb to the darkness again.

 _It was a cold night, the wind whispering through the leaves making the trees seemingly shiver with the night. He didn't recognize this place, the streets bare and all the stores and shop windows dark. He couldn't hear anything but the silence. The moon was hidden behind clouds and the streetlights were off._

 _He moved forward through the streets having no clue where he was going. When he looked again, everything around him looked worn and destroyed. Buildings had collapsed, cars were flipped and the streets ahead of him held what looked to be bodies. He slowly pressed forward, no longer having control of where he was going, his body only following an already chosen path. The bodies he passed had no faces, whether it was because his mind didn't know who they were or whether it was part of the scene, he didn't know._

 _At the end of the street was a pink building, a flower shop. Another look around had Thomas realize it was the only thing in colour, the rest of the world falling into shades of grey. He put his hand out and pushed the door open. The place seemed familiar yet he didn't know why. He stopped near the back of the store and slowly looked over the walls of flowers in every colour imaginable. He fell to a sit._

 _"I'm going to come right back, but you have to stay here okay, big guy?"_

 _The voice seemed to echo off the walls, it soft and almost distant like a memory. Images of the hulk flashed past his eyes. 'Big Guy'. That was what his mom called the Hulk. Was the voice his moms?_

 _"We play hide and seek?"_

 _It was a child's voice, no sound of fear or confusion despite the death and destruction out the window. The voice almost seemed glad to have time to play even though Thomas could feel the little boy didn't know who the woman he was playing with was._

 _Before he could process any more the scene around him slowly fell apart like tiles and he was soon suspended in nothing but blackness, floating. A bright light shone to his right where he could faintly recognise his old apartment. Slowly it drew closer until the familiar sight was all around him, but the colours were still all greys._

 _The rooms and sights around him suddenly became unfamiliar._

 _"Natasha I don't think I can go through with this. I can't be his dad, the other guy…"_

 _"…will be fine. You don't see it but he loves you Bruce…"_

 _His dad didn't want him? Was it because he wasn't his real son? Thomas got angry. It was the same with all the others. He was weird, so nobody wanted to keep him. Why should he be nice to his dad if his dad didn't even want him? He started formulating a plan. If he could make his dad angry enough, he would leave. So it was decided, he got along better with his new mom anyway._

 _The scene fell to pieces again and Thomas fell back into nothingness. His mind didn't seem to want to focus on what was going on. He was sure he wasn't projecting, but he also knew these couldn't be dreams. Or could they?_

 _Again a white light appeared to his left this time, but this time he ran to it. He recognised the sounds of a flat lining heart monitor and sounds of people yelling and rushing around. That's where he wanted to be, back to reality. The closer he got the better he began to feel, no more greys or confusing places. He could talk to Bruce about it and they would solve the mystery that seemed to be his entire life._

He jolted awake, gasping for air, like he had been holding his breath. He focused his attention to the sound of his heart monitor as it slowly returned to a normal pace. The people around didn't stop what they were doing, they pressed on, continuing whatever had their attention. _Was he projecting now? He hoped not, he was actually really hoping to have some time back in his own body._

"Thomas, we are glad to see you back and well again." It took Thomas a few seconds to remember the name but he remembered that Dr. Cho gave him a similar greeting when he woke from his coma. He smiled and nodded back hoping she wouldn't start asking questions, knowing there were quite a few things that he could do, that the medical world would deem impossible.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better…"

"We will be keeping a close eye on you, do a few more quick tests and you'll be on your way."

Thomas nodded again, then looked around finding, the one person he was looking for, was nowhere to be seen.

Dr. Cho must have noticed because she said, "Dr. Banner needed sleep, so I sent him away for a bit. I promise he'll be back before you know it."

Thomas let out a sigh. His dad wasn't sleeping. If he knew Bruce, he was up in his lab doing his own research and looking for answers rather than sleep.

Thomas lay back down trying to piece together what he had seen. Between the flower shop and the odd remembrance of the apartment, he wasn't sure if what he saw just dreams or a lost memory. He didn't understand why the details of the flower shop were so vivid when the rest of the world around it was not. It had Thomas thinking back to when he was watching his father's dreams, the memories so detailed is was almost like he was living them again.

Thomas found himself lost in thought, time passing quicker than he remembered it being.

"Hey"

Thomas jumped at the sound and turned to find Bruce standing in the door way.

Bruce slowly worked his way further into the room, his eyes showing the apparent lack of sleep. He shoved his hands into his pocket looking almost uncertain; like he wasn't sure he should be there.

Thomas cleared his throat. "So I didn't cause too much trouble did I?"

"Uh, no. No you were fine."

Thomas started getting worried. He knew his dad was a kind of shy individual but right now he was being out of character.

"Is everything okay?"

The two seconds that their eyes met Thomas almost wished he hadn't asked. Obviously something was wrong, and he knew it was not something that could be taken lightly either. He slowly started to feel panic creep in as the silence drew on. Did someone die? Were they under attack? Someone found out about his secret?

"Tony, he uh…didn't know what to do." Bruce looked to the floor. "He thought the system was being hacked and let some people know…" He cleared his throat. "Nick Fury will be coming in to see you as soon as you are released." Still no eye contact was made as Bruce rushed through the last part, but Thomas was too bust going over the words, trying to comprehend what was actually going on.

"We're going to have to tell him."

Of course there was no way Thomas could have kept his projecting a secret, he was foolish for thinking otherwise, especially considering he couldn't control it.

"How long until I'm released?"

As Bruce opened his mouth to respond a figure walked by and looked in, answering his question before Bruce could.

"I asked Helen for five minutes, but..." He stopped following Thomas' gaze to Nick Fury standing at the door.

"So let me get this straight…" Nick sat at the desk his eye resting harshly on Thomas.

Thomas tried to get someone else in on the meeting, but Fury was determined to have Thomas sit in alone.

"…You are going to sit here and tell me that Tony was interacting with a ghost…"

Thomas really tried to find another more believable story without having to give away his secret, but the best he could come up with was ghosts. Bruce did mention that people believed they were electromagnetic entities of people so it was plausible; however he was getting the feeling the director would need a lot more than stories to push the incident off.

"Mr. Rowan, I will only ask once more for the actual answer. I don't want any more ghost bullshit. You got that? If someone is hacking into the system, this is serious problem."

Thomas looked around the room confused. _Mr. Rowan?_ Was that him? Maybe there was someone else in the room he didn't know about. An exasperated sigh pulled him from his thoughts.

"It's your birth name, now can I have my answer please?"

"You found my birth certificate?"

Fury tried not to look frustrated as he knew using the name would end up leading to questions; he just hoped it would be enough to get Thomas to tell him what was really going on.

"It was easy to track. People don't just go missing; there is always a paper trail, now back to the question. What happened two days ago?"

Thomas looked away from Fury. He could try lying about something else, Jarvis kept tabs on him, the system malfunctioned but he knew he wouldn't be able to stall anymore and that he would have to tell him everything. What would Fury do when he knew? Would Fury even believe him now that it was clear he didn't want any stories about ghosts. Would Thomas be trained to be like his parents? Surely that was something positive. Than a thought occurred to him. He had been able to project for as long as he could remember, though he had better control over it before the incident with Strucker so, if Fury was thorough in his background check, he would have found something about it. Thomas smiled.

"Tell me director; how thorough of a check did you do on my past? Obviously not well enough or you would already know what happened. Or maybe it's because you don't believe in ghosts…" Thomas pushed up from his chair and leaned over the desk. "If you want answers you can look them up yourself." He turned his back and headed for the door. "Don't worry though I'll play my part and tell you if you and your team are getting farther behind." And Thomas left the room before he peaked his head back in for a final word.

"Oh and you and I both know the system wasn't hacked because Jarvis would locked the system down if it was." The door clicked shut almost soundless behind him.

If Nick asked about his projecting, he wouldn't lie, but he was in no way going to forfeit that information willingly. For now only he and Bruce needed to know.


End file.
